Donald Trump is taking his fight with the New York attorney general to Florida, but is facing the specter of a monitor in New York.
The former president filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Florida against Letitia James, the New York Times reported. The suit accuses James of trespassing on Trump’s right to privacy in Florida and aims to halt her civil case against Trump and the Trump Organization in New York.
Several of Trump’s advisers reportedly urged him not to file the lawsuit, but he rejected their advice, as he is known to do.
Meanwhile, in New York City, a state judge on Thursday granted James’ requests for a temporary monitor to oversee statements to lenders and insurers and for a temporary injunction to prevent asset transfers.
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State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron ruled a monitor was “the most prudent and narrowly tailored mechanism to ensure there is no further fraud or illegality,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
The injunction states the Trump Organization can’t sell, transfer or dispose of listed noncash assets without giving James and the court 14 days’ notice.
Trump has repeatedly called the Democratic attorney general’s probe a political witch hunt, intended to elevate her profile and help her win the Nov. 8 election. She is heavily favored to defeat her little-known Republican opponent.
A spokesperson for the Trump Organization said the judge’s decision “sets a dangerous precedent for government interference in private enterprise and is an obvious attempt to influence the outcome of the upcoming election.”
James filed her civil suit in September, alleging large-scale fraud by Trump and his firm. She claims they inflated property values to lower taxes or land more favorable loans. The lawsuit cited more than 200 incidents of alleged fraud over 10 years.
James also wants Trump family members to be ousted from the company’s leadership and a five-year ban on the Trump clan acquiring real estate in New York. In addition, she aims to prevent Trump and three of his children — Eric, Ivanka and Donald Jr. — from serving as officers or directors of any company in the state.
James referred the findings of her investigation to federal prosecutors, but lacks jurisdiction over a potential criminal matter.
— Holden Walter-Warner