Trump National Golf Club at risk after New York registers fraud judgment – Washington Examiner

Former President Donald Trump could be at risk of having his New York golf club seized by state Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, if he fails to post an appeal bond to cover his civil fraud trial judgment, according to Westchester County records.

The Empire State’s $454 million judgment against Trump was registered by James on March 6, though the filing did not state a reason for the registration or identify any specific Trump assets. Still, the procedural move will allow James to secure liens, if she chooses to do so, on the Trump National Golf Club Westchester and an underdeveloped 212-acre Seven Springs estate.

The former president faces a deadline of March 25 to post a bond covering the $454 million civil judgment against him over his past business practices — or risk state authorities seizing his assets.

James has been candid that she would immediately begin enforcing the judgment if Trump fails to post an appeal bond by the deadline next week.

“And yes, I look at 40 Wall St. each and every day,” James said, referring to the former president’s prized Trump Building in New York City.

On Thursday, Trump’s attorneys pushed back on several suggestions James’s office made about how he can pay the bond, including the notion that Trump could tap several underwriters to secure multiple bonds totaling the judgment. His counsel called that suggestion a “patently unreasonable, unjust, and unconstitutional (under both the Federal and New York State Constitutions) bond condition,” according to a court filing.

If Trump does not post a bond by Monday, he can still appeal the decision. However, the verdict from a state judge could be enforced immediately starting on Monday, meaning James could begin seizing his New York assets in a matter of days.

Lawyers for the former president maintain a forced sale of his properties at possibly “fire sale” prices would cause irreparable injury because Trump could not later recover the property if a court were to reverse any part of the judgment against him on appeal.

Trump has accused Justice Arthur Engoron, who presided over the civil fraud trial, of “doing the bidding” of a partisan attorney general who campaigned on a promise to take down his family business, the Trump Organization.

Engoron found that Trump inflated the value of several properties, including 40 Wall St. and the Seven Springs estate in Westchester County, New York, as well as a golf course in Aberdeen, Scotland.

For example, Trump valued Mar-a-Lago at between $426.5 million and $612 million, an overvaluation of at least 2,300%, compared to the assessor’s appraisal, Engoron wrote in his ruling. Critics have questioned the valuation of Mar-a-Lago that Engoron cited in his ruling. Tax assessor valuations can be less than what a property would be valued on the open market.

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An appeals court panel will decide by March 25 whether the multimillion-dollar judgment against Trump can be paused while he appeals.

A spokesman for Trump did not respond to a request for comment.