Following the conclusion of proceedings in his New York fraud trial, former President Trump wasted no time in launching a fundraising effort.
Trump’s campaign swiftly sent out a fundraising email, titled “I just left the courthouse,” within 20 minutes of court adjournment in Manhattan, where the former president had been in attendance.
The fundraising message echoed many of Trump’s assertions about the investigations and charges against him, characterizing the trial as politically motivated and part of an ongoing “witch hunt.”
The email contended, “Politicians, drunk with power, are weaponizing the legal system to try and completely destroy me — and, ultimately, imprison me for the rest of my life as an innocent man. And why do they want to stop me so bad?”
It continued, “Because they know that I’m on the verge of winning the 2024 election in a landslide and upon taking office, will take away their power and return it to YOU, the American people. So, let me say for the millionth time that NOTHING can break me.”
This fundraising email mirrored similar messages sent by Trump after indictments and court appearances in other criminal cases, including federal proceedings in Washington, D.C., and Florida.
Monday marked the commencement of Trump’s fraud trial in a comprehensive civil case that alleges decades of fraudulent activities by him and his businesses.
Following a multiyear investigation, the New York Attorney General’s office sued Trump, the Trump Organization, and his two adult sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., last September. The suit alleges that Trump’s company manipulated the value of its assets to lower taxes and obtain favorable insurance coverage.
The attorney general’s office seeks $250 million in financial penalties and a prohibition on Trump and his children from serving as officers or directors of New York companies.
Last week, Judge Arthur Engoron found Trump liable for fraud, affirming New York Attorney General Letitia James’s core argument.
The decision resulted in the revocation of some of Trump’s business licenses and the potential loss of control over some of his renowned properties. Engoron also rejected Trump’s attempt to dismiss the case, allowing six remaining elements to proceed to trial.
Trump has frequently criticized Judge Engoron and Attorney General James regarding the case, including in the hours leading up to the trial’s commencement.
