New York Attorney General Letitia James' office is challenging former President Trump's assertion that obtaining a bond in his civil case is unfeasible. In response to Trump's plea for a stay on his $464 million civil fraud judgment, the attorney general filed a document urging the court to dismiss his request, labeling it as 'extraordinary' and 'improper.'
The document emphasized that the court should not entertain Trump's claims of the impossibility of securing a full bond, deeming them procedurally inappropriate. It pointed out that Trump's efforts to obtain a bond had commenced even before the judgment was entered.
Trump's filing contended that obtaining a bond in the judgment's full amount was practically impossible, citing attempts to engage around 30 surety companies through four brokers. The filing argued against the requirement of a bond nearing $1 billion, stating that such a demand was unprecedented for a private entity.
The attorney general countered by asserting that Trump had only demonstrated an inability to secure a single bond for the entire cash amount. The office suggested that Trump could secure the total value through multiple sureties or offer his real estate holdings as collateral.
The document highlighted that appealing parties could bond large judgments by distributing the bond amount among multiple sureties, thereby reducing individual sureties' risk to smaller sums.
Trump has been given until Monday to secure the necessary bonds as mandated by the court, failing which the attorney general may initiate asset seizures.
