The implication of that query is that crimes only matter if they “harm” someone.
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This is rule all litigation lawyers learn in the first week inside a courtroom.
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The statutes do not require a showing of harm. The argument is a scripted non-starter. He was already found liable for fraud. At this point the only thing Trump can do is present evidence as to the extent of his businesses and try to limit what was the subject of the fraud.
Moreover, fraud harms the entire community. Money that could have gone to more honest people didn’t. It is never a victimless crime.
Trump enriched himself at state’s and the bank’s expense. Property values/prices were unnaturally raised as comparables, property taxes were not properly collected. It was theft.
They don’t have to. The work was already done by the State. They can simply demand damages here.
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The state brought the fraud case, because it is illegal behavior regardless of whether anyone complains.
In order to start a business in New York, you have to sign off that you understand that this kind of financial fraud is illegal. In order to be an officer of a company, you have to sign off on your understanding that this behavior is illegal.
Business transactions and market exchanges are based on being able to trust the financial statements of companies. Without that, it’s all smoke and mirrors. So who is harmed by this kind of fraud? EVERYONE.
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Lawyer Wife starter her career as a litigator, and was shocked when I told her about what went on with my divorce…I believe I was called a moron.
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and that’s definitely a good thing. banks and other businesses can easily become beholden to their clients if the debt is large enough ( hi, deutsche bank* ) you want a third party to be able to take action when others cannot
( similarly, in new york, victims of domestic violence don’t have to press charges**. the state does that because it’s often too dangerous for victims to do so themselves )
* though actually, that might also be simple corruption
** at least arent supposed to have to. but you know. cops.
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Everyone else’s taxes went up to pay for his fraud. Maybe some kids didn’t get a better education because they didn’t go up to make up that slack etc.
His competitors got less favorable financing than he did making it harder for them to make money.
Several banks got into legal trouble because they played ball with Trump and he defaulted.
Huge accounting firm Mazars had to spend money defending itself before Congress & other investigators- and lost money due to representational damage. They may face sanctions.
I’ll stop there for now.
But don’t forget Mary Trump either.
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Per Joyce Vance at Civil Discourse, Trump ordered six large bags of McDonald’s for his trial team for lunch yesterday. Utterly appalling yet entirely unsurprising. There must be ten fast casual restaurants within walking distance of the court that not-disgusting clients go to with their lawyers every day.
(Although it would be funny to see Alina Habba as she unwraps her flaccid hamberder, with that same blank stare showing she’s fully dissociated.)
(sorry, meant to reply to OP)
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Exactly; financial fraud on this scale isn’t a victimless crime. It’s a crime with millions of victims, each paying a small portion of the cost.
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7 posts were split to a new topic: Mcdonalds quality
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Didn’t the judge warn him about this? Jesus didn’t do anything to deserve that.
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No, thats Willem Dafoe as Jesus.
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What’s the over-under on a contempt charge tomorrow morning? 
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It’s even worse than it looks.
That drawing was made by a man currently serving life in prison for being a serial child rapist and abuser.
The person who posted it was previously banned from Twitter for sharing images of child sexual abuse before being reinstated by Elon.
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Looks like Jake Angeli.
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