Donald Trump and his lawyers reportedly tried to get one step ahead of New York attorney general Letitia James, as they allegedly created a new company in Delaware just a few days before she filed her fraud lawsuit against the twice-impeached former president (as well as three of his children, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Eric Trump, and the Trump Organization as a whole) which could prevent him from doing business in the state of New York if found guilty.
However, James filed a new lawsuit on Thursday, October 13th which accuses Trump of trying to “avoid existing responsibilities” by restructuring his business into a new entity, and is asking the court to do what it can to stop him from hiding or transferring his assets. James has since said that the 76-year-old former POTUS shouldn’t be allowed to “play by different rules” and has requested an order that would prohibit the Trump Organization from transferring its assets to the new Delaware-registered company without approval from the court.
Letitia James is watching Donald Trump LIKE A HAWK!https://t.co/m1oFJ1n6zD
— Occupy Democrats (@OccupyDemocrats) October 15, 2022
“Fraudulent practices”
“Since we filed this sweeping lawsuit last month, Donald Trump and the Trump Organization have continued those same fraudulent practices and taken measures to evade responsibility,” James said in a statement, according to The New York Times, in reference to the Delaware company. “Today, we are seeking an immediate stop to these actions because Mr. Trump should not get to play by different rules.”
James went on to say that, by forming the new company, the Trump Organization “now appears to be taking steps to restructure its business to avoid existing responsibilities under New York law.”
Breaking News: Donald Trump formed a new company days before a fraud lawsuit was filed against him, a move that the New York attorney general questioned. The new company will be known as the Trump Organization II. https://t.co/k9QXqZGkfg
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 13, 2022
Trump’s lawyer fights back
Trump’s people haven’t said much about the case – especially since both Trump and his son, Eric Trump, have still yet to officially accept service of the lawsuit – although Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba said that James’ filing was “simply another stunt,” adding that it was “nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to keep this case with Justice Engoron.”
Habba added: “We have repeatedly provided assurance, in writing, that the Trump Organization has no intention of doing anything improper.”
In a brilliant move using his “very best brain” Donald Trump has created a new corporation, ‘Trump Organization II’, in order to hide assets of his ‘’Trump Organization’.
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“They’ll never think to look there!” some people overheard Donald saying.
. pic.twitter.com/alsg9VaxUu— CC (@ChattByCC) October 14, 2022
Trump’s new company
According to reports, Trump’s new Delaware company, the paperwork of which was officially filed on September 21st, i.e., the same day James filed her lawsuit, will be known in the state as the Trump Organization II LLC. But James’ office said in a statement: “That entity is a foreign corporation that was incorporated in Delaware. The Trump Organization has since refused to provide any assurance that it will not seek to move assets out of New York to evade legal accountability.”
Twitter reactions
BREAKING: Trump Organization II announces its new CEO pic.twitter.com/E5xzAuwAK6
— Jonathan Goldman (@akjakalope) October 13, 2022
Unsurprisingly, Twitter was filled with comments from users who couldn’t quite believe the measures Trump was taking, with one saying: “Trump Organization II is like the criminal putting on a fake mustache and thinking nobody recognizes him,” and another replying, “New CEO: Tonald Drump.”
“I dunno, but creating ‘Trump Organization II’ on the same day that NYAG Letitia James sued the Trump Organization, and then continuing the same financial practices, sure sounds crimey.”
