(Article by Mary K. Jacob republished from NYPost.com)
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron’s Friday ruling not only slapped Trump with that hefty fine, but also with a temporary ban from conducting business in his native New York.
O’Leary, known for his role on “Shark Tank,” lambasted the decision, arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent for the entire real estate industry.
O’Leary had previously been critical of the months-long fraud case in the media, saying on CNN recently that, “I don’t think this thing will ever survive appeal regardless of what the fine is. This doesn’t even make sense.”
“That fact that he was found guilty, you might as well find guilty every real estate developer on Earth,” O’Leary said in an exclusive interview with The Post.
“Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary has slammed a New York judge’s ruling in Donald Trump’s civil fraud case.ABC via Getty Images
The judge’s decree bars Trump from assuming any officer or director positions in New York for three years, a move O’Leary sees as detrimental not just to Trump, but also to the broader business landscape.
“I don’t understand where someone got hurt … What developer doesn’t ask for the highest price valued for any building they built?” O’Leary said.
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Donald Trump cited Judge Engoron’s ruling as purely political.Steven Hirsch for NY Post
Predicting an overturn on appeal, O’Leary cautioned against the lasting repercussions this ruling might have on American business.
“It’s not healthy for the country,” he emphasized. “I want this reviewed and appealed and turned over because it’s wrong for everybody that participates.”
He later added, “If this judgment sticks. Every developer must be jailed. They must be found guilty. They must be put out of business. You can’t do this to one another. It’s not about Trump.”
“It’s appalling. It’s unjust. I would go as far to say it’s un-American,” O’Leary added.
Dubbing New York “a loser state” in the wake of the ruling, O’Leary also pointed out the potential exodus of businesses from the state if the decision holds.
“We’re just stunned. You have no idea. The shock wave sent through the real estate industry. Insane,” he said.
New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron.Steven Hirsch for the N.Y.Post
The ruling didn’t spare Trump’s two eldest sons either, who were slapped with a two-year business ban and ordered to pay $4 million each.
In response, and during the 2024 election cycle, Trump slammed the judgment as nothing short of an “election interference witch hunt,” decrying what he perceives as a biased and politically motivated assault on the justice system.
Read more at: NYPost.com
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