They say what goes around comes around. And now Democrats are getting a taste of their own medicine.
Because a top U.S. Attorney has scared the daylights out of Democrats in a hot Fox News interview.
In a major victory for President Donald Trump, a New York appeals court has struck down a $355 million civil penalty imposed by Attorney General Letitia James, ruling it violated the Eighth Amendment’s ban on excessive fines. The decision marks a significant blow to James’ relentless campaign against Trump, which many conservatives view as politically driven lawfare aimed at undermining the leader of the America First movement.
The ruling dismantles the core of James’ 2022 civil fraud lawsuit, which accused Trump, his sons, and the Trump Organization of inflating real estate values to secure favorable loans. James, who labeled Trump an “illegitimate president” during her 2018 campaign, vowed to target him long before taking office. Yet, as George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley told Faulkner Focus, “No one lost money in this case. The banks actually wanted more business from President Trump.” The court’s decision exposes James’ tactics as a blatant abuse of power, prioritizing political vendettas over justice.
“This is obviously a tremendous victory for President Trump, but it’s long overdue,” Turley said. “During this litigation, many of us described this entire effort as a grotesque use of this New York law.” The appeals court, led by Judges Dianne T. Renwick and Peter H. Moulton, agreed, stating, “While the injunctive relief ordered by the court is well crafted to curb defendants’ business culture, the court’s disgorgement order, which directs that defendants pay nearly half a billion dollars to the State of New York, is an excessive fine that violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution.”
James’ lawsuit, filed under New York’s Executive Law Section 63(12), claimed Trump overstated asset values by up to $2.2 billion annually, misleading lenders and insurers. However, Trump’s supporters and legal team have consistently pointed out that no banks suffered losses, and all loans were repaid in full. The case, critics argue, was a politically motivated attempt to cripple Trump’s business empire and tarnish his presidency, driven by James’ personal animus rather than evidence of harm.
The original penalty, issued by Judge Arthur Engoron in February 2024, hit Trump with a $515 million fine, including interest, and barred him and his sons from corporate leadership roles in New York for several years. Engoron’s ruling, which Trump slammed as a “disgrace,” threatened to dismantle his real estate legacy. The appeals court’s decision to void the fine, while upholding some injunctive relief, opens the door for further appeals that could unravel James’ remaining sanctions.
Turley called out James’ tactics as an “outrageous effort” to block Trump’s ability to appeal by demanding a half-billion-dollar bond just to challenge the verdict. “They insisted that he would have to pony up half a billion dollars just to question what they did in the case and it was an outrageous effort to effectively price out an appeal. It didn’t work,” he said.
This ruling is the latest chapter in a long-running feud between Trump and James, who has pursued him since taking office in 2019. Her investigations into Trump’s charitable foundation, tax practices, and business dealings culminated in the 2023 civil fraud trial, which ran from October to January 2024. In 2019, James forced the dissolution of the Trump Foundation, a move Trump called a “partisan hit job.” Her aggressive tactics have fueled accusations that she’s weaponizing her office to target a sitting president.
The decision sends a strong message to New York’s business community, which has grown wary of James’ heavy-handed approach. “The good news for New Yorkers is that the court of appeals really sent a message to the business community, the legal community, that they are not going to allow raw lawfare,” Turley told host Aishah Hasnie. With businesses fleeing New York due to regulatory overreach, the ruling offers hope that the state’s courts will prioritize fairness over political agendas.
President Trump took to Truth Social to celebrate, declaring, “TOTAL VICTORY in the FAKE New York State Attorney General Letitia James Case!” He accused James of waging a “Political Witch Hunt” that’s driving businesses out of New York. His sons, Eric and Donald Jr., echoed his sentiments on X, with Eric posting, “Total victory in the sham NY Attorney General case!!! After 5 years of h*ll, justice prevailed!” The ruling also returns the $175 million bond Trump posted to delay the penalty’s collection.
James, unbowed, vowed to appeal to New York’s Court of Appeals, claiming, “The First Department today affirmed the well-supported finding of the trial court: Donald Trump, his company, and two of his children are liable for fraud.” She pointed to the upheld injunctive relief as a partial victory, but her persistence has drawn scrutiny. The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a grand jury probe into her actions, investigating potential civil rights violations against Trump, with allegations of mortgage fraud against James herself adding fuel to the fire.
The DOJ’s investigation, reported by sources on X, includes subpoenas for records related to James’ fraud case. Claims that she misrepresented her primary residence on loan documents have sparked calls for accountability, with Trump labeling it a “revenge tour.” As the legal battle escalates, the appeals court’s ruling stands as a major setback for James’ anti-Trump agenda, reinforcing the populist narrative that the establishment is out to get the president.
Critics argue James’ use of Executive Law 63(12) exemplifies a dangerous trend of lawfare targeting conservative leaders. A dissenting judge noted that no lenders sued Trump, suggesting the transactions were consensual and profitable. This aligns with Trump’s defense that his deals involved sophisticated parties who conducted their own due diligence, not victims of fraud. The ruling exposes the flimsy foundation of James’ case, resonating with Right Populist calls for an end to weaponized justice.
The appeals panel’s 11-month deliberation—unusually long—raised questions about bias in New York’s judiciary, where Trump remains a polarizing figure. Turley, posting on X on August 19, 2025, noted, “This appellate panel appears content to leave Trump twisting in the wind as it contemplates what to do with a defendant who garners little sympathy from its members.” The decision, however, restores some faith in the system, as Turley emphasized: “The good news is really for the New York court system. This regains some of the credibility that was lost during this process.”
As the case heads to the Court of Appeals, Turley predicts more victories for Trump, stating, “It has removed the fine and left in place the injunctive relief that President Trump can now appeal. So, it is possible that even that could go to the wayside.”
Letitia James is facing 30 years in prison and $1M in fines for falsiying a loan application..
Byron Donalds ~of course she should be charged
The liberal media is trying to bury this story, so you folks know exactly what to do pic.twitter.com/QsgNT3F8Xw
— @Chicago1Ray 🇺🇸 (@Chicago1Ray) April 24, 2025
