Pollster and CNN panelist Frank Luntz directly warned New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday over the political fallout of seizing former President Donald Trump’s assets.
James has threatened to seize Trump’s assets if he does not pay the $464 million bond due to be posted by March 25. Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump to pay this amount regarding allegations that he overvalued his property and wealth to receive more favorable loans.
“I want you to remember this moment and don’t forget it,” Luntz said during an appearance on CNN. “If the attorney general starts to take his homes away, starts to seize his assets, it’s all gonna be on camera. Pundits are gonna sit there scream about this, ‘this man cannot be elected.’ You’re going to create the biggest victimhood of 2024 and you’re going to elect Donald Trump. If they take his stuff, he’s gonna say that this is proof that the federal government and the establishment and the swamp in Washington and all the politicians across the country and the attorneys generals and all of this, that this is a conspiracy to deny him the presidency.”
Luntz argued the trend of Trump going up in the polls will continue with the seizing of assets as his criminal charges benefited him in previous polls. (RELATED: Kevin O’Leary Says NY Attorney General Letitia James’ Threat To Seize Trump’s Assets Is ‘An Attack’ In America)
“And I say this to the attorney general right now,” he said, pointing at the camera. “If you play politics on this, this is what the secretaries of state did in Colorado and what they did what I believe is Maine. His numbers went up in both states. I don’t understand, I’m almost speechless in how pathetic the opposition to Trump has been and how completely misguided and this is a perfect example of it.”
James filed a lawsuit against the Trump Organization alleging that the former president committed fraud and overvalued his property and wealth to get more favorable loans. She was initially seeking $250 million in damages and later requested $370 million.
Engoron ordered Trump to pay $350 million in damages in a February 16 ruling, five months after he ruled that Trump and his company, the Trump Organization, committed fraud.
Participants of a New York City Fire Department (FDNY) event booed James as she spoke on stage over her lawsuit against Trump. FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh promised to “hunt down” these staffers, with the agency noting it is inappropriate “on the job’s time.” An FDNY retiree said the department “sent their fascist pit bulls” after staffers exercising their First Amendment rights, according to the New York Post.
James appeared to gloat about the judge’s ruling by tweeting out the daily interest of Trump’s judgement on her official Twitter account.
+$114,553.04 = $464,805,336.70 https://t.co/gugrACDTpC
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) February 25, 2024
CNN legal analyst Elie Honig said her “gloating” is a “terrible look” for an attorney general, pointing out how she is “mocking” the former president and “rubbing it in his face.”
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Trump suggests civil fraud trial is an attempt to hurt him in 2024 election
“The View” co-host Sara Haines suggests the “optics” of the ruling will make Trump appear to be a victim