New York AG appeals reversal of Trump’s $500 million fraud penalty

New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday appealed a court’s decision to toss out a $500 million penalty on President Donald Trump and his company in connection with business fraud.

The appeal comes two weeks after that punishment imposed by a Manhattan Supreme Court trial judge was voided by the First Judicial Department of the New York Supreme Court’s Appellate Division.

That court said the fine violated the U.S Constitution‘s Eighth Amendment, which prohibits “excessive fines.”

James is asking the New York Court of Appeals — the state’s highest court — to reverse that decision.

The notice of appeal filed Thursday is very brief and does not detail arguments for why James thinks the decision should be overturned. Those arguments will be laid out in future filings.

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