Donald Trump’s legal debts might now exceed a half-billion dollars
A New York judge ordered Trump and his companies Friday to pay $355 million in fines, plus interest, after ruling that he had manipulated his net worth in financial statements.
The stiff penalty comes just weeks after Trump was ordered to pay $83.3 million to the writer E. Jean Carroll for damaging her reputation after she accused him of sexual assault. A separate jury last year awarded Carroll $5 million from Trump for sexual abuse and defamation.
Add interest payments on top of that and the judgments could deal a staggering blow to the personal fortune that remains core to Trump’s political appeal. He has adamantly denied wrongdoing and pledged to appeal, a process that could take months or even years.
In the meantime, here’s what we know about what Trump owes, whether he’ll have to pay up, and what comes next:
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Over the last two years, Trump’s Save America political action committee, his presidential campaign and his other fundraising organizations have devoted $76.7 million to legal fees. Campaign finance experts expect Trump will try to spend PAC money to defray the cost of his judgments in some way.
“The likelihood of the Federal Election Commission in its current configuration pursuing these violations is not terribly great,” said Daniel Weiner, director of the Brennan Center’s Elections and Government Program.
Then the Federal Election Commission needs a complete overhaul … which will never happen but, one can wish it would anyway.
Of course not. Rich people are fucking weasels. How do you think they get rich? They weasel the system. They weasel the profits of other people’s productivity. They leave death and chaos in their wake. They lie, cheat, steal and rewrite the rules to suit them.
Three words: Jared’s Saudi buddies.
Yes. Bonds are not refundable .
Each appeal brings less wiggle room.
He’s already paid the 5 million from the initial settlement, his lawyers know that he can’t keep running away forever.
It’s a civil suit, he’s not getting remanded into anything.
New York will auction off everything he owns first.
Of course not. He has plenty of people willing to pay it on his behalf.
Political funds can’t be used to pay these fines. PACs apparently can pay for them, but he raised about 300 million from all sources including PACs for his first presidential campaign, so even if he manages to cajole this much away, it’s going to leave him in a substantially weaker position.
And if all the money goes to pay for fines instead of ads, he loses and the criminal charges will come to bite. His whole plan is to get elected to buy time.
Exactly. F*** that guy and I’m excited for him to lose again and then die, fingers crossed.
Political funds can’t be used to pay these fines.
Why not? Do you mean it’s illegal? Do you think that will stop him?
I mean that since political contributions cannot be used for these fees specifically, campaign funds won’t be accepted by the courts to pay these fines, if that’s what you mean.
You’re right about campaign funds not being used, but Super PAC funds can and likely will be used … because the GOP’s adherents are a shill for mango-face.
Let his Super PAC pay. It’s been gobbling up so much money that GOP organizations across the country are going broke. Trump’s legal expenses are sucking all the money from the GOP and they are ginna struggle to run effective campaigns in key races this year.
It doesn’t matter if he “has to”, he won’t, period. Somehow this man is the real life opposite of the Lannisters, a Trump never pays his debts.
