Citing conciliatory initiatives by the country's historic presidents, such as Lincoln, Donald Trump's lawyer asked, "for the greater good of the country," to overturn his client's conviction last winter to pay a $454 million fine. dollars for defrauding his real estate company.
In a letter dated Tuesday, Nov. 26, John Sauer — who is slated to become the fourth-in-command at the Justice Department effective Jan. 20 — demanded that New York State Attorney General Leticia James be placed on the record, to "abandon the case against President Donald J. Trump, his family, his companies and to vacate the judgment and all fines and interest" he is ordered to pay.
In mid-February, Mr. Trump was convicted in a Manhattan civil court and ordered to pay $454 million in fines, along with his sons Eric and Donald Jr., for defrauding his real estate company, the Trump Organization.
They were found guilty of artificially inflating the value of their properties, such as Trump Tower or a property at 40 Wall Street by billions of dollars in the 2010s, to secure bank loans on more favorable terms.
After his conviction, Mrs. James, a judge elected with the Democratic party, had threatened to issue court orders to seize real estate to cover the amount of the fine.
But he, who was still the 45th president of the United States in the midst of a campaign to become the 47th, posted a bond of 175 million in April. dollars in court, covered by an insurance carrier, and appealed.
"Following his historic election victory, President Trump called for an end to partisan conflict and for opposing factions to join forces for the greater good of the country," said Mr. Sauer.
In the summer, the lawyer managed, thanks to the conservative majority of the Supreme Court, to address the concept of presidential immunity, thus also that of his client, Mr. Trump, between his two terms.
If his civil court conviction is not overturned, serious "constitutional" issues will arise, John Sauer argued.
The lawyer cited US history, the unifying initiatives of Presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. "On October 3, 1863," Abraham Lincoln "made Thanksgiving a national holiday that we celebrate (today Thursday) calling on Americans to put aside their bitter divisions" and enjoy "liberty" with "a heart and a voice".
On Tuesday, Mr. Trump saw criminal charges against him for his involvement in the 2020 election bid be dropped.
Source: protothema.gr