Getting Away With Murder

Trump's defense team introduced evidence from financial experts supporting Trump's estimates of his properties' value, including accounting professor Eli Bartov of New York University, who testified that there was "no evidence whatsoever of any accounting fraud." Engoron not only rejected Bartov's testimony but basically accused him of taking bribes, saying, "Bartov is a tenured professor, but the only thing his testimony proves is that for a million or so dollars, some experts will say whatever you want them to say."

Nor was Engoron swayed by the fact that Deutsche Bank -- the purportedly "injured" party -- testified in favor of Trump.

So, despite a ridiculously low property value that was contradicted by expert testimony, the lack of an injured party and the timely repayment of all loans with interest, Engoron ordered Trump to pay more than $450 million in "damages" (to whom?) and banned him from doing business in the state for three years.

Understandably, other companies doing business in New York are concerned that they could face similarly bankrupting litigation if a rogue prosecutor and biased judge decide that properties provided as collateral for commercial loans are worth a fraction of their actual value.

But not to worry! Indomitable Gov. Kathy Hochul cheerfully assured everyone that "law-abiding, rule-following New Yorkers" have nothing to worry about; this was just about Trump.

Well, that should make everyone feel better.

Yes, legal experts like George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley have sharply criticized these cases. (Turley referred to them as "recreational use of the laws to pursue unpopular persons.") Yes, Trump will appeal. And hopefully, these travesties will be overturned to the appellate courts or even the United States Supreme Court, should it go that far.

But the message sent is nevertheless loud and clear: There are powerful people in this country who believe the law is whatever they need it to be, and there are those in the legal profession only too happy to butcher the legal process to give those people what they want.

At the moment, that seems to be limited (using the word loosely) to destroying their opponents' reputations, their political careers, their businesses and their financial wherewithal.

At the moment.

But remember: If Vladimir Putin has his enemies murdered, it's because he knows he can get away with it. The rule of law is supposed to protect us from abuses of power. If we allow it to be eroded, what's to keep those in power here from reaching the same conclusion?

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To find out more about Laura Hollis and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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