If prosecutors start seizing Donald Trump's properties next week, it will make the former president "more powerful," said former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has said she is prepared to seek to seize some of Trump's assets, though it isn't clear how quickly that might unfold. Her office has declined to comment on its plans.
"Here's the concern: As they pursue these properties and if they start seizing properties next week, then, ultimately, I think that is only going to make President Trump more politically powerful," Whitaker said Saturday during an appearance on Newsmax's "Saturday Report."
Whitaker said James "should just wait until this case runs its course through the appeals court, whether the Eighth Amendment prohibition against excessive fines or not is applicable, whether due process has been met in this case, and whether you know Judge [Arthur] Engeron has a bias that should have disqualified him from the case. All of those should be decided before she starts seizing properties."
The cases against Trump are "election interference," a desire to keep Trump in court and off the campaign trail, added Whitaker.
"I just think ultimately it fails," he said.
Trump on Friday said he has nearly a half-billion dollars in cash but that he prefers to spend it on his presidential run rather than on the $454 million judgment against him in New York. He said he would fight the verdict "all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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