Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York, has taken to social media, specifically X (formerly Twitter), to remind the world of the mounting financial burden placed on Donald Trump and his organization. This comes in the aftermath of a civil fraud trial that concluded with a hefty ruling by Judge Arthur Engoron earlier this month, ordering Trump to pay a staggering $355 million in damages.
The total penalty, with added interest, now stands at over $450 million. In her relentless daily updates, James highlights the ever-increasing amount, recently tweeting, “$464,576,230.62.” The interest accrued is meticulously calculated, and James ensures that the public is well-informed about the swift rise in the owed sum, tweeting, “+$114,553.04 = $464,805,336.70” the next day.
Despite James’ efforts, some critics, particularly Republicans, find her approach ‘classless.’ They argue that it could potentially play into Trump’s hands for a future appeal. Trump himself has consistently framed the case as a political vendetta against him, aimed at undermining his potential 2024 campaign.
However, amidst the criticism, there is a significant contingent of supporters who applaud James for her actions. One netizen on X expresses their enthusiasm, stating, “I am so f-ing here for Letitia James live-tweeting the ever-increasing interest on what Donald Trump owes to the state of New York.” Another user, @harryjsisson, finds humor in the situation, noting, “This is too funny! New York AG Letitia James is now posting the interest that Donald Trump is incurring daily from his New York fraud trial. Attorney General James has held Donald Trump accountable and is letting him know!”
The relentless reminders by James serve as a public taunt to Trump, keeping the financial consequences of his actions in the forefront of public consciousness. It’s a form of accountability that transcends political affiliations, as underscored by one person who explains, “Important for folks to understand that the entire judgment keeps generating interest each day at 9 percent annually.” Another tweet adds a touch of humor to the situation, pondering how many baby girls born this year will be named Letitia or Fani.
Despite pleas from Trump’s legal team to delay the final decision, Judge Engoron remained steadfast, emphasizing, “You have failed to explain, much less justify, any basis for a stay.” He expressed confidence in the Appellate Division protecting Trump’s appellate rights, as per Huff Post.
With each update, Letitia James reinforces the principle of accountability inherent in legal rulings, irrespective of one’s political stature. By leveraging social media platforms like X, James engages directly with the public, fostering transparency in a case that has captured widespread attention. In doing so, she ensures that netizens remain well-informed about the financial consequences faced by Trump and his organization.
