Fundraising Campaign to Cover Fine
Ex-US President Trump has been ordered by a court to pay a fine of over $450 million, a sum he seemingly cannot afford. Now, his campaign team is attempting to tap into his supporters for financial support.
After being convicted of fraud by a New York court in February and facing a fine exceeding $450 million, former US President Donald Trump is apparently relying on the assistance of his supporters to raise the substantial amount. The Republican’s campaign team, as he seeks to run against current President Joe Biden in the November election, has launched a fundraising campaign online.
Through this appeal, the campaign team urges one million patriots to contribute to the former and potentially future president. Contributions can range from $20.24 to $3,300.
Risk of Trump’s Property Seizure
The team aims to prevent the seizure of properties owned by the self-made billionaire – as Trump portrays himself publicly – notably the Trump Tower in Manhattan. The supporters expressly caution in their appeal, “Keep your dirty hands off the ‘Trump Tower’!”
New York State Attorney General Letitia James had threatened to seize Trump’s property if the court-ordered fine is not paid by March 25th, the upcoming Monday. Trump’s campaign team views the judgment as another part of the witch-hunt against the potential White House candidate.
Impractical Deadline for Payment
In the civil case, Trump, his sons, and employees were accused of manipulating the value of the Trump Organization for years to obtain favorable loans and insurance contracts. A fine of over $350 million was imposed on the Republican, which has now escalated to over $450 million with interest.
However, Trump’s lawyers stated earlier this week that it is practically impossible to meet the payment deadline. They have requested an extension of time or a reduction of the demanded sum to $100 million. While Trump has filed an appeal against the February ruling, he must make the fine payments or provide the necessary guarantees to proceed with the appeal.
This is not the only costly judgment Trump faces. Recently, he had to post a security bond of $96.1 million due to the defamation lawsuit by author Jean Carroll against him.
It remains uncertain whether Trump could utilize campaign donations to cover legal expenses. Under US law, there is no prohibition on using campaign funds for personal expenses.