Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump is once again preparing to defend himself from what some see as a politically motivated attack disguised as a civil fraud lawsuit. His lawyers are set to argue in a New York courtroom against a judgment that could cost him nearly $500 million. The hearings will commence today, sans Trump, as the state appeals court will listen to arguments aimed at overturning a ruling handed down by Judge Arthur Engoron, who just might be auditioning for a role in a daytime soap with his theatrically biased judgement.
Attorney General Letitia James is the face behind this legal drama, accusing Trump of inflating his net worth to boost business dealings. The list of allegedly overvalued assets includes his beloved golf courses and, of course, the Trump Tower penthouse—a topic of endless fascination not just among his critics but also among anyone interested in real estate inflated egos. Trump’s legal team claims Engoron’s ruling is nothing short of “egregious” and lacks merit, insisting that no actual victims exist in this alleged overvaluation story.
Trump’s legal strategy reflects a classic “poke the bear” approach. His lawyers have accused Judge Engoron of bias, which begs the question—do left-leaning judges even know how to color inside the lines anymore? The defense is dubbed as an act of self-preservation, evidenced by Trump posting a $175 million bond to curb any asset seizures while the case lingers like a bad smell. If the judge ultimately sides with the state, Trump will owe the full amount, including interest, bringing new meaning to the phrase “drain the swamp”—it seems the swamp is being drained right into his pockets.
In the world of Maryland politics, the Democrats have developed an ingenious strategy to distract from their own electoral vulnerabilities by demonizing Larry Hogan, the former centrist Republican governor who apparently isn’t even running for Senate. Liberal candidates seem to have adopted a new way of campaigning: guilt by association. They have latched onto Hogan’s fame to rally against “extremist Republicans” that don’t even have skin in the game. Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham are apparently the perfect scapegoats to drum up fear for Maryland Democrats, even if their actual opponent is the moderating Hogan.
Washington Examiner: Wake up with the Washington Examiner: Trump lawyers in court, Maryland Democrats grasping at straws, and Walz wants Vance on defense https://t.co/ko7rFv4Hf2
— Ian Hansen News 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@IanHansenNews) September 26, 2024
Hogan, with an enviable approval rating of 77%, seems to be a thorn in the Democrats’ side during this Senate race. They must be feeling the heat if they are resorting to rallying the base against members of the party while ignoring the man right in front of them. Meanwhile, Cruz and Graham have suggested that Maryland Democrats are simply scared of Hogan’s popularity, and perhaps rightly so. The jig is up; playing the blame game is no replacement for solid policy or compelling candidates.
Looking ahead to the vice presidential debate, Tim Walz seems to have cast aside moderation for more polarizing positions, akin to a mean kid on a playground who finally found his voice. His shift toward a more aggressive debate style suggests that he’s hoping to smear his way into public favor. With hot-button issues like abortion, COVID-19 lockdowns, and the George Floyd protests likely to come up, Walz will have to step carefully, lest he trip in his own policy minefield. Navigating past the chaos he previously spawned will be a Herculean task, and his opponents are ready to remind the electorate of his missteps.
As the Maryland Senate battle brews and the courtroom saga unfolds, it’s apparent that the left’s audacity knows no bounds, from fighting to derail a former president to trying to smear centrist Republicans. One thing is for sure: if they actually focused on the issues that matter to Americans, voters might finally see their candidates for what they really are, and it might not be pretty for the Democrats.
