Trump can still run his businesses in New York City, court rules
From CNN's Lauren del Valle
Former President Donald Trump turns toward the press outside a courtroom in New York on Monday. Brendan McDermid/Pool/Reuters
The New York appeals court's order in former President Donald Trump's civil fraud trial means that Trump and his sons can still run a business in New York and obtain loans from New York financial institutions for the moment.
The appeals court's order gives Trump 10 more days to post his bond to satisfy the civil fraud judgment and cut the amount necessary to $175 million.
Judge Arthur Engoron's court-ordered monitor and the appointment of a compliance director for Trump's company will remain in place, however.
11:38 a.m. ET, March 25, 2024
Judge in hush money case: "It’s odd that we’re even here"
From CNN's Lauren del Valle and Jeremy Herb
Judge Juan Merchan seems dubious of former President Donald Trump's claims that federal prosecutors purposely withheld evidence.
“It’s odd that we’re even here," Merchan said.
The hearing is in a recess until noon ET.
Just as the recess came, the New York appeals court gave Trump a major victory, cutting the bond needed in the civil fraud case from $464 million to $175 million and gave him an extra 10 days to find the cash.
#Hush Money Case##
5:54 p.m. ET, March 25, 2024
Trump bond lowered to $175 million as he appeals civil fraud judgment in New York
From CNN's Kara Scannell and Jeremy Herb
Former President Donald Trump is seen leaving Trump Tower in New York in August 2022. James Devaney/GC Images/Getty Images/FILE
A New York appeals court has given Donald Trump 10 more days to post his bond as he appeals the civil fraud judgment against him and cut the amount necessary to $175 million.
It's a major lifeline for the former president, who, along with his adult sons and his company, were fined more than $464 million, including interest, after Judge Arthur Engoron found Trump and his co-defendants fraudulently inflated the value of his assets.
The ruling staves off the prospect, for now, of New York Attorney General Letitia James seeking to seize the former president’s property to enforce the judgment against him.
Trump had been struggling to come up with the means to post the full $464 million bond, the total that he would have needed before Monday’s appellate decision.
11:20 a.m. ET, March 25, 2024
Judge skeptical of Trump allegations of prosecutorial misconduct over document productions
From CNN's Jeremy Herb
Former President Donald Trump and attorney Susan Necheles sit in court before the hearing begins on Monday. Spencer Platt/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
Judge Juan Merchan appeared skeptical Monday of Donald Trump’s allegations against the Manhattan district attorney over the production of new documents, questioning the accusations that the district attorney’s office acted unethically.
Merchan is holding a hearing Monday to address Trump’s motion for sanctions against the district attorney’s office, including to dismiss the charges, toss out testimony from Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels and dismiss the trial for at least 90 days.
But during the hearing, the judge peppered Trump attorney Todd Blanche with questions about the allegations, expressing exasperation that Trump’s attorneys couldn’t cite any case law that the district attorney was responsible for what the US Attorney turned over.
"You are literally accusing the Manhattan DA's office and the people assigned to this case of prosecutorial misconduct and of trying to make me complicit in it and you don't have a single cite to support that position?" Merchan said.
Merchan said that Trump’s attorneys were leveling allegations that were "incredibly serious, unbelievably serious" — and it was "disconcerting" the defense couldn’t provide a citation to back it up. The judge also pressed Blanche on why Trump's lawyers didn't ask for the documents more quickly, following the first production of documents were turned over last spring.
Trump’s attorneys subpoenaed the documents from the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York in January, leading to the production of tens of thousands of documents in March that prompted Merchan to postpone the trial, supposed to start today, until at least mid-April.
11:06 a.m. ET, March 25, 2024
Judge to Trump lawyer: You were a federal prosecutor and should have known better
From CNN's Lauren del Valle and Jeremy Herb
Attorney Todd Blanche is seen in August 2023. Win McNamee/Getty Images/FILE
As Trump attorney Todd Blanche blames the New York District Attorney's office for not pressuring federal prosecutors to turn over additional documents related to Michael Cohen, Judge Juan Merchan is getting impatient.
Merchan asked why Trump's attorneys didn't ask for additional documents from the Southern District of New York after receiving the first production last May.
Blanche, the judge noted, once was a prosecutor in the federal office.
"You were there 13 years, so you know that the defense has the same ability as the prosecution to obtain these documents," Merchan said. "...You could have very easily done exactly what you did in January but for whatever reason you waited until two months before trial."
Blanche argues that the DA should have done so — but Merchan disagreed.
"For one, it’s not our job to get it. The statute...," Blanche said.
The judge cut him off, saying, "It’s not the people’s job either."
11:04 a.m. ET, March 25, 2024
Judge raises his voice while questioning Trump's attorneys over accusations
From CNN's Lauren del Valle and Jeremy Herb
Judge Juan Merchan poses for a picture in his chambers in New York on March 14. Seth Wenig/AP/FILE
Judge Juan Merchan is now going after the defense's allegations, raising his voice for the first time in the hearing, saying the fact they don't have a court citation that the NY District Attorney's office was obligated for the US Attorney to turn over documents is "really disconcerting."
"You are literally accusing the Manhattan DA's office and the people assigned to this case of prosecutorial misconduct and of trying to make me complicit in it and you don't have a single cite to support that position?" the judge said.
The judge has otherwise been calm and level throughout the hearing.
Merchan then asked the defense whether it's their position that the US attorney "knowingly retained information" that should have been turned over to the prosecution when it was requested.
"No, it’s that the people never asked," Trump attorney Todd Blanche responded.
As Blanche and Merchan debate case law, Trump is looking closely to his side at his attorney with his arms folded in front of him.
10:44 a.m. ET, March 25, 2024
Judge says Mueller investigation records are not a part of the hush money case
From CNN's Lauren del Valle and Jeremy Herb
Trump attorney Todd Blanche suggested the Michael Cohen FBI interviews that the US Attorney's Office turned over are related to the investigation by former special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Judge Juan Merchan said not to bring it up. "That's not relevant, what does that have to do with this case?" Merchan said, adding that he will not allow anything about the Russia investigation in as evidence in this case. "It has nothing to do with this case."
"I’m telling you, if you try to introduce something in the Mueller investigation, it’s not coming in," he added.
Blanche countered that the FBI discussed what Cohen was doing with Trump before Trump took office, which he argues could be relevant. Cohen paid the hush money to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign.
Blanche said the interviews with Cohen from the Mueller investigation address relevant topics like the allegations in this case and the Access Hollywood tape.
10:42 a.m. ET, March 25, 2024
Trump attorney says there are "thousands" of Michael Cohen-related documents
From CNN's Lauren del Valle and Jeremy Herb
Michael Cohen, center, is seen in New York in October. Alex Kent/AFP via Getty Images/FILE
Trump attorney Todd Blanche told the court there are "thousands" of relevant documents to this case that belatedly were turned over to the former president's lawyers, including Michael Cohen's bank records and his interviews with the FBI.
Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and fixer, is a key witness for the district attorney's office. He was the conduit for paying the hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels that is at the heart of the case. Trump's team says the information is either exculpatory or can be used to impeach Cohen as a witness.
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo, meanwhile, said the number of relevant documents produced in the latest federal disclosure is "quite small."
"We have a pretty refined understanding" of the disclosure, Colangelo said — about 300 pages.
5:55 p.m. ET, March 25, 2024
Trump faces a Monday deadline to secure a multimillion-dollar bond. Here's what happens if he doesn't get it
From CNN's Mark Morales
Former President Donald Trump, left, and New York State Attorney General Letitia James. Getty Images/Reuters
Donald Trump’s legal team and the New York Attorney General’s office are working hard ahead of the former president’s Monday’s deadline to secure a bond for the multimillion-dollar civil fraud judgment against him.
Trump personally owes over $454 million stemming from the ruling made by Judge Arthur Engoron back in February. The figure balloons up to $463.9 million when including the money owed from his sons, Eric and Donald Jr., the Trump Organization and the interest that was accrued as of the date of the ruling.
Experts who spoke to CNN say Attorney General Letitia James and her staff should be poised to start the complicated legal maze of seizing Trump’s assets if the former president does not secure the bonds needed to cover Engoron’s ruling as he appeals. Assets, such as buildings, houses, cars, helicopters and his plane, are in play. The main focus could be on his bank accounts, which experts say will be easier to take hold of, and properties, which would be more difficult.
Trump has asked a state appeals court to allow him to post a smaller bond – or none at all – claiming he would face irreparable harm if he were forced to sell properties at a fire sale that can’t be undone if he ultimately wins his appeal. The court has not yet ruled.
