The tables are turning for former U.S. President Donald Trump, as a New York Judge, Lewis Kaplan, recently doused his hopes for a temporary delay in the penalties linked to E. Jean Carroll's defamation case. The bold ruling has given Trump a tight window of three days to either pay or secure a bond for the $83.3 million judgment.
Judge Kaplan didn't close the door entirely on Trump's case, indicating that he might still contemplate Trump's plea for a reduced bond or an adjournment until the settlement of his post-trial motions.
Is Trump's Situation Self-inflicted?
In a late-night order, Kaplan said Trump's current predicament is a product of his procrastinating actions. He pointed out that Trump had ample time since January 26 to regulate his finances, considering the looming judgment bond. Yet, he only moved 25 days after the jury's verdict to seek a stay of the judgment.
Equally, Kaplan noted that Trump did not substantiate how the judgment would result in an "irreparable injury" or demonstrate the expenses he would incur by posting a bond.
Is the Judgement 'Ridiculous'?
In response to the decision, Trump's campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, stated their disagreement with the judgment and the denial of a delay. Regrettably, for Trump, every cloud seems to have a silver lining in January. In the same month, he discovered that Trump would need to cover another hefty penalty. A jury decided to award Carol $83.3 million in damages after affirming that Trump slandered her while refuting her claim that he sexually violated her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s.
Is Trump Causing Unnecessary Delays?
There was another twist in the tale, as Carroll's legal representatives contested the delay, arguing that there was insufficient substantial information about Trump's finances to warrant it. They noted that the only defense Trump seemed to offer was asking the courts to trust him.
In an unforeseen turn, Trump is on the hook for an even more significant sum. In a separate civil case, a judge ordered Trump to pay back $454,156,783 in lieu of a decade of deceitful business dealings. The former president's lawyers had argued against the judgment and offered a $100 million bond in lieu of the sum.
ALSO READ : Trump Demands New Trial Against E. Jean Carroll, Citing 'Restrictions' on Key Testimonies
Could Trump Become a Fugitive?
Reacting to the civil case development, New York Attorney General Letitia James voiced stern concerns that Trump and his co-defendants could attempt to circumvent this financial penalty. The warnings came with Trump's failed plea for a stay of financial penalties, which New York's Appellate Division denied. The court did, however, specify that Trump's financial punishment doesn't extend to bond companies.
To round off a challenging week, Trump was told he had a deadline ahead of him. By Monday, he will need to cough up the $83.3 million defamation judgment. Besides, he must settle the $454 million judgment from his civil fraud case later this month.
