Former President Donald Trump was ordered to pay $355 million in a civil fraud trial in New York City, and Rep. Byron Donalds discusses a push to rename the House Press Gallery for Frederick Douglass.
Trump fined $355 million in civil fraud trial
A New York judge imposed $364 million in penalties in a civil fraud trial against former President Donald Trump accusing him of a scheme to dupe banks and others with financial statements that inflated his wealth.
Trump himself was fined nearly $355 million and was barred from serving as an officer or director at a company in the state for three years.
His adult sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., both officers with the company, were fined more than $4 million each and received a similar punishment for two years. Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg was also fined $1 million.
Weisselberg and former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney were permanently barred from serving in the financial control function of any New York corporation.
The ruling from Judge Arthur Engoron is the culmination of a years-long effort from New York Attorney General Letitia James, who sued Trump in 2022 over what she said was years of deceptive practices as he built the multinational collection of skyscrapers, golf courses and other properties that catapulted him to wealth, fame and eventually the White House.
Engoron determined that Trump was involved in a lengthy scheme to mislead banks and others with financial statements that inflated his wealth.
"In order to borrow more and at lower rates, defendants submitted blatantly false financial data to the accountants, resulting in fraudulent financial statements," Engoron wrote in his ruling. "When confronted at trial with the statements, defendants’ fact and expert witnesses simply denied reality, and defendants failed to accept responsibility or to impose internal controls to prevent future recurrences."
The suit accused Trump and his co-defendants of routinely puffing up his financial statements to create an illusion his properties were more valuable than they really were. State lawyers said Trump exaggerated his wealth by as much as $3.6 billion one year.
Donalds discusses push to rename House press gallery
The legendary abolitionist Frederick Douglass is already celebrated with a statue and a plaque on capitol hill.
A Florida representative is proposing one more honor for Douglass: Highlighting a part of his extraordinary career that most Americans know little about.
Douglass was one of the most well-known abolitionists in American history.
Born enslaved in Maryland in 1818, he escaped to New York City 20 years later and became a leader in the effort to end slavery.
“Frederick Douglass is somebody in American history and Black history, who’s been a critical contributor to the fabric of our country, and even moving our country from, you know, the, one of the great sins in humanity, slavery, and moving us through from slavery to where we are right now,” Rep. Byron Donalds said.
Although Douglass is well known as a skilled orator, it’s not as widely known that he was also a journalist.
While living in Rochester,N.Y., Douglass founded the North Star in 1847, which later became Frederick Douglass’ paper in 1851. Both publications advocated against slavery.
Then, in 1870, five years after the end of slavery, Douglass worked in the nation’s Capitol as part owner and editor-in-chief of the New National Era, a Black newspaper. He was the first Black reporter to become a member of the congressional press galleries, where journalists watch lawmakers on the floor of the Senate and House.
Donalds is seeking to honor that work by designating the area where Douglass worked as the “Frederick Douglass Press Gallery”.
“Frederick Douglass, obviously being born a slave, working his way into freedom, earning his freedom, I think it’s really a demonstration of what’s possible in his country,"Donalds said. "Especially going forward, considering all he did, all he provided, all he contributed to America."
A statue of Douglass stands in the capitol visitor center’s emancipation hall. And in 2007, the committee of reporters that controls access to the galleries dedicated a plaque and portrait to the abolitionist.
Donalds’ resolution to name the galleries after Douglass was introduced in November, and it now has about a dozen co-sponsors, including fellow Florida Republican Cory Mills.
“I think overall, this is something that every member can vote for with pride, something that can become really a part of the fabric of the House of Representatives going forward,” Donalds said.
The resolution was referred to the House Committee on House Administration. A vote has not yet been scheduled.
Parent reacts to social media restriction bill
The Florida Senate recently altered a bill to keep kids under 16 off of major social media platforms and it is now one step closer to the governor’s desk.
Lawmakers included pornographic websites in the list of social media sites that minors would be barred from joining. All sites on the list will need users to verify that they are 18 or older.
But the legality of the bill is still a primary concern for top lawmakers, including Gov. Ron DeSantis.
For parents, their primary concern is their kids and how they are using the devices.
“I’m afraid she won’t know what’s real anymore and try to make herself something she’s not,” Jaime Marco said about her 8-year-old daughter.
To comply with the legislation as currently written, the platforms would be required to perform age verification of their users.
"I think the concept is great," Marco said. "It’s just for Florida, though, and Florida is just one state out of 50. It crosses over lines. It should be a federal bill if we are going to do that."
While she supports the idea, she doesn’t know if the restrictions are the right way to address social media and its impact on kids.
“I don’t think it’s the government’s role to decide that, but I do think it’s the government’s role and responsibility to protect its citizens,” Marco said.