Trump discovered someone willing to ensure his $91 million bond, but Judge Kaplan permitted E. Jean Carrol to raise concerns about the bond before making a decision on approval.
MSNBC’s Katie Phang wrote:
JUST IN: Judge Kaplan in @ejeancarroll’s case files this order slamming Trump for his delays and allowing E. Jean to object to the motion to approve the bond, the amount, the other language in Trump’s proposed order, etc.https://t.co/Zs5tDGBozJ
— Katie Phang (@KatiePhang) March 8, 2024
Andrew Weissmann pointed out that Trump’s efforts to obtain the bond could draw comparisons to when Paul Manafort used assurances of positions in the administration to secure bank loans: Trump As with nearly everything related to Trump, it is unclear what kind of commitments he may have made to secure the bond. Trump is already facing 91 felony charges, so it would not be surprising if he committed additional crimes to avoid paying E. Jean Carroll.
This could strike some as reminiscent of when Manafort obtained $16M in loans approved by bank CEO Stephen Calk, who was seeking positions in the Trump administration. Calk was convicted for that by a jury in Manhattan. Press release by DOJ ⬇️ https://t.co/WAFC0JBLQY https://t.co/TmGwu2K1s9
— Andrew Weissmann (weissmann11 on Threads)🌻 (@AWeissmann_) March 8, 2024
Judge Kaplan must grant approval for the bond, and it is uncertain whether he will do so.
Trump may have rounded up the bond to challenge the judgment by E. Jean Carroll, but he still needs to raise $454 million for the state of New York.
Trump found a supporter willing to ensure his $91 million bond, but Judge Kaplan allowed E. Jean Carrol to object to the bond before he decides on approval.
