Julian Epstein says Letitia James’ pursuit of former president is an ‘abusive’ and ‘political prosecution’
A longtime Democratic operative has sharply criticized New York Attorney General Letitia James’ decision to appeal a ruling that overturned a significant civil fraud judgment against Donald Trump. Julian Epstein, appearing on Fox News, labeled James’ action as “doubling down on dumb” and a politically motivated effort that is unlikely to succeed.
James’ office formally notified the court Thursday of its intention to appeal a New York appeals court’s August ruling. That decision tossed out the $454 million civil fraud penalty and the accompanying fraud finding against Trump and his company.
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Epstein’s strong condemnation on “The Evening Edit” centered on his belief that the entire case was fundamentally flawed from the outset. He highlighted the August appeals court decision, noting that the judges—many of whom were liberal, Democrat appointees—found the judgment to be “way out of whack” and a violation of the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on excessive fines.
“It’s the same reaction that I’ve had with most of Letitia’s James’ antics and her pursuit of Trump,” Epstein said. “This was an abusive prosecution. It was a political prosecution. The whole thing, in my view, should be thrown out. And she will not prevail.”
He pointed to the disproportionate nature of the fine, asking how a half-billion-dollar penalty could be justified when, as he stated, all affected parties, including Deutsche Bank, had said there was no harm.
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The case dates back to 2022, when James sued Trump, alleging he had inflated property values to secure favorable loans. This investigation stemmed from a promise James made during her 2018 campaign, in which she publicly referred to Trump as an “illegitimate president.” A 2024 ruling by Judge Arthur Engoron had barred Trump from serving as an officer or director of any New York-based company for three years and ordered the full payment of the penalty and interest.
The August appellate court ruling provided a significant reversal, finding that Judge Engoron’s penalty violated the Eighth Amendment’s ban on excessive fines.
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