Trump civil fraud case: Judge fines Trump $354M, says frauds 'shock the conscience'

Former President Trump's defense team has moved for a directed verdict in the trial, arguing that New York Attorney General Letitia James has failed to meet the evidentiary standard necessary for the case to continue.

"The claims of the attorney general involve only successful and profitable loan transactions," defense attorney Christopher Kise argued. "There's no victim, there's no complainant, there's no injury."

Judge Arthur Engoron already determined in a pretrial partial summary judgment that Trump engaged in fraud by duping banks and insurance companies into giving him favorable loan terms based on statements of financial condition that overvalued his assets and inflated his net worth, leaving the trial to determine additional actions and what penalty, if any, the defendants should receive.

The defense is arguing that the state has failed to present evidence that a bank or insurance company complained of fraud or that Trump failed to meet his financial obligations.

"There's no intent to defraud, no defaults, no breach, no unjust profits and no victims," Kise said. "There's no record evidence that anything would have been different with the loan transactions or the insurance transactions."

Defense attorney Jesus Suarez asked Ivanka Trump during cross-examination yesterday what Deutsche Bank executives said after providing the financing for Trump's purchase and renovation of the Doral golf club in Miami.

"They were very happy," Ivanka Trump responded.

"If they believe they're being defrauded by someone, they're not doing business with them," Kise said of the banks.

After resting her case yesterday, New York Attorney General Letitia James expressed confidence in the strength of the case on social media.

"I am confident that we will prevail on the rest of our case because the facts don't lie," James said in a video statement.

James claimed that Ivanka Trump, who testified yesterday, used her father's fraudulent statements to secure vital deals for the Trump Organization, including a Washington D.C. property that yielded the company $139 million in profit. The New York AG is expected to request that Judge Engoron order the disgorgement of those profits by fining Trump more than $300 million.

Trump, in the meantime, continued to falsely allege that the case has been directed by President Joe Biden.

"Even that stupid trial going on in New York, which has been totally discredited -- everybody's been discredited," Trump told supporters at a campaign rally in Hialeah, Florida, last night.

"It comes out of the White House," Trump said without proof of the allegation.

A day after the New York attorney general rested her case, Donald Trump's lawyers are set to make a long-shot motion for a directed verdict in the trial.

In moving for a directed verdict, Trump's lawyers will ask Judge Arthur Engoron to end the case in favor of the defendants on the grounds that the New York attorney general failed to prove liability by a preponderance of the evidence.

The defense team requested a directed verdict earlier in the trial after they argued that Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen perjured himself on the witness stand, but Judge Engoron resoundingly shot down the request.

"Absolutely denied," Engoron said when the defense made the request based on their claim that Cohen's evidence was unreliable.

"This case has evidence, credible or not, all over the place," said Engoron. "There's enough evidence to fill this courtroom."

If Engoron similarly denies today's motion, the defense team will begin presenting its case on Monday.

New York Attorney General Letitia James expressed confidence in her case while Trump attorney Alina Habba was equally dismissive, following the adjournment of court for the day.

Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse after she rested her case, James said that Ivanka Trump's friendly courtroom demeanor should not distract from the fact she engaged in fraud.

"She clearly was involved in negotiating and securing loans, favorable loans, for the benefit of the Trump Organization for Mr. Trump, and her brothers and for herself," James said of the former president's eldest daughter.

James praised Ivanka Trump testimony, saying it was cordial, disciplined, courteous, friendly, and nice. But the New York AG said it was also inconsistent.

"Her testimony raises questions with regard to its credibility," James said, later adding, "she was enriched, and clearly you cannot distance yourself from that fact."

Exiting court minutes after James, Habba slammed the state's effort, saying, "It is very clear that they have failed to prove the essential elements of the case."

Habba went so far as to recommend that the Manhattan district attorney prosecute former Trump attorney Michael Cohen for perjury and investigate how much money was "wasted by New York on a fake, phony case."

"We have spent three years doing this, based on testimony from Michael Cohen, who walked into that courtroom, and under oath and open court admitted that he perjured himself," Habba said referring the Cohen's earlier testimony.