Once Trump finally gets back into orbit, the legal consequences will be harsh and painful.

CNN
—

Donald Trump is a master at deferring legal liability, but his trajectory, with two lawsuits targeting the former president and now in the penalty phase, means the experience will be harsh when the law ultimately imposes its price. It shows how humiliating things can be.

Trump’s lawyers said Monday that they are unable to secure bail to cover the nearly $500 million judgment against him in a New York fraud case while he appeals the case.. The confession undermines the mystique of a former president who built a brand on the power and scale of his wealth as “The Art of the Deal.” And that raises the possibility that his financial woes will compound a growing financial crisis for his personal and campaign finances.

and Peter Navarro, President Trump’s former trade leader. He was jailed after his appeal to the Supreme Court to be exempted from imprisonment failed while he appealed his conviction. for ignoring a parliamentary subpoena for documents and testimonies On his boss’ attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

Both cases offer lessons about the potential consequences of a culture of rule-breaking and a pervasive sense in President Trump’s world that the law applies to everyone else. And while defiance of law and custom can be a powerful political tool for former presidents and their advisers, the consequences of prosecutions aimed at enforcing stricter codes of conduct can be devastating, regardless of politics. It also shows that there is a possibility of imposing negative consequences. In Mr. Navarro’s case, the 74-year-old’s plight, as he braces himself for the terrifying prospect of going to prison, is fueled by his loyalty to Mr. Trump and his desire to turn any legal challenge into a political cause to boost his brand. It highlights how the ex-president’s methods of trying to protect others sometimes come at a price. And the goal.

The drama surrounding President Trump’s recent legal battles and his former aides’ fight to keep him out of prison has been compounded by the ex-president’s and his allies’ efforts to postpone their legal battles, including all potential appeals (Trump It shows how the president is taking advantage of protections guaranteed by the constitution and legal system that he often criticizes. result. This tactic could bring Trump closer to his 2024 goal, as his frenzied lawsuits have successfully delayed criminal trials to the point where it is uncertain whether they will go to a jury before the November presidential election. It is useful for But despite all the delays and derailments, the law can be unforgiving in the end. And while presidential candidates constantly being embroiled in courtroom drama have become the new normal, other legal issues surrounding Trump and prominent members of the “Make America Great Again” movement also It is a reminder of the unrealistic situation. 2024 Election.

President Trump has paid at least $464 million in damages pending appeals after he, his adult sons, and the Trump Organization were found liable for millions of ill-gotten gains in civil fraud. I’m looking for an insurance company to underwrite the bond for $1,000,000 plus interest. A lawsuit brought by the state of New York. Several insurance companies have balked at President Trump’s efforts to raise bonds based on the value of real estate assets.His tactics appear to indicate he lacks enough cash or stock to warrant an agreement to cover disgorgement payments and interest payments himself.. Appeals can drag on for years, and the state wants and needs to be paid if the court rules in its favor.

The former president argues that the court should allow him to delay payments until the appeal process is over because the value of his assets, including a high-rise building and a golf resort, significantly exceeds the bond amount. . The debate is highly ironic as it comes in the wake of an incident in which President Trump was accused of exaggerating the value of his buildings in order to obtain favorable interest rates from banks and insurance companies.

“This person is in an unenviable position, having been convicted of inflating the value of a property. So why would an insurance company not accept the property and its appraised value as collateral for a bond of this size? Of course,” former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. Judge Arthur Engoron ruled last month that Trump and his co-defendants were liable for fraud, conspiracy and issuing false financial statements and false business records.

Post-trial actions in this case also suggest that the reality of President Trump’s position has darkened and that his fortune and empire appear to be in grave danger from this case. New York Attorney General Letitia James said she would seek the seizure of some of his assets if he is unable to pay the amount owed. “Yes, I look at 40 Wall Street locations every day,” James told ABC News last month, referring to one of the former president’s most cherished Manhattan properties.

Another irony is that even though President Trump is doing his best in the polls, there are increasing signs that he is in financial trouble. He lost his second defamation lawsuit against author E. Jean Carroll and has already had to post more than $90 million in bail pending his appeal. And multiple lawsuits, including four impending criminal trials, have left him with huge legal costs. The use of some cash from his political fundraising committee to cover these costs threatens to compound a new financial disadvantage for President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party heading into November. be.

As always with Trump, there’s a legal side and a political side. Signs that he is not as wealthy as he claims seem unlikely to tarnish his business legend. Many supporters of his rally still cite it as a qualification for the Oval Office. Nothing has weakened the former president’s strongest core of support, and his efforts to portray the multiple criminal and civil charges he faces as examples of political persecution have been highly successful, strengthening his support base. This contributed to his dominance in the Republican primary. Voters support his narrative. Trump claims he is protecting millions of Americans who would otherwise be victimized by the government. Although his claims are inaccurate, they appear to be politically effective among his supporters, who criticize Washington’s political and legal elites. In recent days, he has highlighted his legal situation and the criminal justice system’s unfair treatment of minorities, as he seeks to erode Biden’s support among black voters who form a key part of the Democratic coalition in battleground states. cites similarities.

Given the sensitivity of the election year, any attempt to seize assets from Mr. James, who has already accused President Trump of bias against him, would cause an unusual political turmoil. The process of asset foreclosure can be legally complex. That’s especially true given Trump’s maze of business fundraising. And the former president is sure to highlight his treatment of himself in order to distance the White House from his own claims that he is the victim of a political witch hunt. There is therefore good reason for Mr. James, a Democrat, to seek other legal remedies to secure the verdict.

Trump is already trying to weaponize his latest legal charges. The presumptive Republican nominee told Truth Social that a bond of this size is “unconstitutional, un-American, unprecedented, and unacceptable for any company, including successful companies like mine.” It’s virtually impossible.” “We’re going to fight this hoax, and all the other hoaxes that Crooked Joe has overseen, and defeat them once and for all. If I hadn’t run for President of the United States and was leading by a wide margin, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without a witch like this.” The hunt would never have happened,” Trump said, seeking to highlight a question that has long surrounded the case: Would another businessman have done it? He received similar treatment if he lacked the profile of a former president.

President Trump has several other options. For example, he might refinance or sell parts of his diversified portfolio to raise cash. In court documents Monday, Mr. Trump’s lawyers accused Mr. James of inflexibility and argued that it would be “practically impossible” to post full bail for a sentence of this magnitude. They also warned that if Trump were forced to sell his properties, he would be the victim of a “fire sale” that would cause huge losses.. The former president said the court has the power to suspend the verdict pending an appeal.

While President Trump is fighting on multiple fronts, Navarro was mulling Monday the nightmare of going to prison as early as Tuesday after Chief Justice John Roberts rejected a last-ditch effort to preserve his freedom. .

Mr. Navarro argued that the federal judge erred in refusing to raise the presidential privilege defense at trial. That’s because an appeals court could reverse the decision to keep him out of prison. But Roberts wrote in a short order that there was no basis to challenge the lower court’s finding that Navarro waived his claim that he could avoid appearing before Congress even if he was entitled to privilege. Ta.

Navarro, a minimum-security federal prison in Satellite Camp in Miami, is expected to become the first former White House official to be jailed for contempt of Congress. “He’s nervous,” Sam Mangel, Navarro’s prison consultant, told CNN. “Regardless of the length of the sentence, everyone steps into the unknown.” Mr. Navarro was sentenced to about four months in prison, but is expected to be eligible for early release.

While his case is historic, Navarro is not the only former Trump associate to serve time in prison. He is one of the most famous players, but it looks like he could make an unexpected comeback.

The Trump campaign is considering bringing back former campaign chairman Paul Manafort from 2016 to help with this summer’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, CNN’s Kristen Holmes reported. His possible return was first reported by the Washington Post.

Manafort was released from prison and placed on home confinement in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic after serving about a third of his seven-and-a-half year term.. He was convicted of financial crimes in a case stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation and was ultimately pardoned by President Trump.