Donald Trump and some top executives of The Trump Organization were held in court last Friday. They were asked to pay a huge sum as penalties for fraud. New York Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that Trump will have to pay roughly $355 million.
However, surprisingly, a GoFundMe page was set up for Donald Trump, and donations have reached a significant sum.
Stand with Trump
The GoFundMe page was created the same day Trump was asked to pay the civil fraud fine. The page was created by Elena Cardone, wife of real estate businessman Grant Cardone. She titled the page “Stand with Trump; Fund the $355M Unjust Judgment.”
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On the page, she wrote, “I stand with President Donald Trump in the face of what I see as unprecedented and unfair treatment by certain judicial elements in New York.”
Legal Battles
Trump and some top executives in his organization were charged with fraud. The New York court held that they committed fraud by inflating the value of Trump’s assets. They did this to obtain more favorable terms from lenders and insurers.
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However, some people do not agree. On the crowdfunding page, Elena Cardone narrated that the legal battles Trump was facing were not just an attack on him. She said it was an attack on the ideals of fairness and due process that every American deserves.
Penalty for Fraud
The attorney who brought the case, New York Attorney General Letitia James, explained that the penalty for the fraud is over $450 million. This increase is when pre-judgment interest is added to the fine. According to the attorney, the amount will continue to increase every day until the judgment is paid.
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Apart from the fine, Trump, Jeffery McConney, and Allen Weisselberg would be facing another penalty. They would not be allowed to serve as officers or directors of any corporation or legal entity in New York for three years.
Appeals
The others involved were given lighter penalties. The court ordered Donald Jr. and Eric Trump to each pay more than $4 million. They were also barred from doing business in the state for two years.
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They, however, did not accept this ruling as Trump’s lawyers mentioned that they would be appealing the case. Many other people also do not agree with this ruling. This is evident in the amount of donations made.
Over $1 Million in Donations
At the time of writing, more than 20,800 donations have been made, and the GoFundMe account has received $1,148, 205 in just one week.
Source: gofundme.com/GoFundMe
“The GoFundMe is more symbolic than substantive.” Scott Lucas, a professor in international politics at University College Dublin, in an interview, said. He further stated that the money being donated was nothing compared to what he was fined.
A Punishment Bucket
Professor Scott Lucas said, “Trump’s penalty for fraud on the civil case includes an interest. With this interest, the fine totals over $450 million, so $1 million is just a drop in the punishment bucket in terms of what he is facing.
Source: gofundme.com/GoFundMe
Of course, this is in addition to the $83.3 million that he has to pay E. Jean Carroll over his sexual assault and defamation of her.
A Long Way To Go
Professor Scott Lucas further said, “This is more a political manipulation during an election year rather than anything fundamentally related to the question of whether Trump will be able to or when he will actually pay his penalty.”
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Although a lot of people are coming to his aid, he still has a long way to go. Even though the donations have reached a significant milestone, Trump still has at least $354 million more to pay.
Request From the Defense Team
A request was made from Trump’s team. The defense requested that the enforcement of penalties should be delayed. However, Judge Arthur Engoron rejected the request.
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Letitia James was in an interview on Tuesday, the 20th of this month. In the interview, she said if Trump does not have the funds to pay the penalty, she is ready to ask a judge to seize his assets.
Determined Supporters and Opposers
“We are prepared to make sure Donald Trump makes the payment. The judgement must be paid to New Yorkers,” she firmly stated.
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Letitia James is not the only one determined in Trump’s case. Elena Cardone is also determined. On the GoFundMe page, she wrote, “In standing with Trump, we’re upholding the cause of entrepreneurs and business owners who believe in the fight against a system that seeks to penalize dissent and curb our freedoms.”