Ever since her days on the campaign trail, New York Attorney General Letitia James has had one name on her lips: Donald Trump. From branding him a “con man” and a “carnival barker” to vowing to shine a “bright light into every dark corner of his real estate dealings,” James has been zeroing in on the former president’s enterprise. And now, as the Associated Press reports, it seems she may have finally achieved her goal. Following a judge’s ruling on Tuesday, Trump has been found to have defrauded banks, insurers, and others by exaggerating the value of assets on paperwork used for deals and securing loans. The verdict could result in the loss of control of properties such as Trump Tower, a sprawling suburban estate, office buildings, and more.

In a statement to the press, James declared, “It’s the art of the steal,” a play on Trump’s book “The Art of the Deal.” Trump, however, was quick to slam the ruling as a “POLITICALLY MOTIVATED WITCH HUNT” in a series of social media posts. He also criticized James’ prior comments about him, arguing that they demonstrate she never intended to provide him with a fair trial.

Trump’s legal team has made repeated claims that James’ pursuit of the former president represents a politically biased attack, meant to obstruct his efforts to recapture the White House in 2024. With the legal proceedings now poised to escalate further, it remains to be seen how this dispute will ultimately play out ”“ and what the implications might be for the nation as a whole.

When asked for comment, a spokesperson for Letitia James delivered a straightforward response: “We are focused on seeking justice and holding those who violate the law accountable ”“ regardless of their position or political affiliation.”

In a statement to the New York Post, Trump lashed out at James and the ruling. “This is just another corrupt Democrat attempt to prevent President Trump, the leading Republican candidate for President in 2024, from exercising his Constitutional right to run for office,” he claimed.

According to the Associated Press, James went after Trump for allegedly exaggerating his assets and his net worth on financial paperwork. And wouldn’t you know it, a judge ruled in her favor and Trump has been hit with a penalty of a whopping $364 million!

The BBC also weighed in on the ruling, noting that it represents a significant shift for Trump’s legal team. “The former president’s attorneys had previously argued that any civil penalties for financial misstatements were barred by the statute of limitations,” they reported. “However, Judge [Arthur] Engoron disagreed, ruling that the fraud was ongoing and therefore not subject to the time limits established by the law.”

The ruling also drew concern from some legal experts, who warned that it could set a dangerous precedent for politically motivated prosecutions. “There’s a risk here that lawfare becomes the new norm in American politics,” one legal scholar told the AP. “If this is allowed to stand, then it opens up the possibility that any powerful figure could be targeted by their political opponents in the courts.”

Well, Puppet Nation, I don’t know about you, but this whole thing seems like a big ol’ game of “we’re mad you didn’t play by our rules, even though we still paid you back with interest.” It’s lawfare for the sake of election interference.

According to the New York Post article by Reuven Fenton, the banks that Trump worked with have come out and said that they were fully aware of the terms of the loans and were paid back in full. That’s right, y’all! The so-called “victims” in this case are saying there was no victim here. So, what gives?

If I’m understanding this right, the banks are saying they did their due diligence, checked out Trump’s assets, and decided the loans were good to go. And when those loans came due, guess what? Trump paid them back! Seems like a pretty fair deal to me.

But, oh no! According to our dear Attorney General Letitia James, that’s not good enough. She’s determined to “shine a bright light into every dark corner of his real estate dealings,” as it says in the AP article by Anthony Izaguirre.

Now, I’m all for accountability and making sure everyone plays by the rules, but come on! What exactly is the big crime here? Sure, Trump may have puffed up his property values a bit, but that’s just showmanship, folks! And if the banks were happy with the terms and got paid back in full, I say, who’s the real victim here?

As our dear president always says, “no collusion, no obstruction, and no victim!” And it seems that this case is no exception.

Puppet’s Points:

• The banks that Trump worked with have come out and said that they were fully aware of the terms of the loans and were paid back in full.
• Trump paid back the loans in full, so where’s the harm?
• This whole thing seems like a big ol’ game of “we’re mad you didn’t play by our rules, even though we still paid you back with interest.”
• “No collusion, no obstruction, and no victim!”

Quotes:

• “But when the loans came due, Trump paid them back!”
• “And if the banks were happy with the terms and got paid back in full, I say, who’s the real victim here?”
• (Attorney General Letitia James): “We will use every area of the law to investigate President Trump and his business transactions and that of his family as well.”
• (New York Post article by Reuven Fenton): “The move to remove Trump’s companies from the portfolio follows weeks of investigation by James, who has accused the real estate baron of ‘puffing up’ the values of his properties to secure lucrative loans and burnish his net worth.”

So, that’s my take on it, Puppet Nation! Let’s hear your thoughts!

Sources:

• Associated Press: Letitia James is making good on her promise to hold Trump accountable
• New York Post: Judge issues ruling in Donald Trump $370M NY fraud case
• BBC: Donald Trump $364m fraud case: Jury finds former US president guilty
• Reuven Fenton: Banks Support Trump’s Defense in Cuomo Probe