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New York Governor Kathy Hochul tries to soothe business owners' anxiety over Donald Trump's $355 million ruling

Feb 19, 2024 06:34 AM IST

New York Governor Kathy Hochul addresses the $355m fine on Donald Trump, assuring law-abiding entrepreneurs that it won't impact the state's business climate.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said on Sunday that the $355 million fine imposed on Donald Trump for fraud would not affect the state’s business climate, as most local entrepreneurs follow the law.

Kathy Hochul says she won’t interfere with Donald Trump fine, assures New York businesses they have nothing to fear. REUTERS/Lindsay DeDario/File Photo(REUTERS)

“I understand [that the Trump ruling might make New York business people fearful], but this is really an extraordinarily unusual circumstance that the law-abiding, rule-following New Yorkers who are businesspeople have nothing to worry about because they’re very different from Donald Trump and his behavior,” Hochul told WABC 770 radio’s ‘Cats Roundtable’.

Hochul said she had no role in deciding the size of the fine, which was determined by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, who found that Trump inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to deceive banks and insurers.

ALSO READ| Donald Trump's New York City fraud trial: How can the former president pay the $354 million fine?

“The governor of New York does not have a say in the size of a fine. And we want to make sure we don’t have that level of interference,” Hochul said.

“You do not want me as governor to be telling judges that I’m going to overrule their decisions. We need a clear separation of powers,” she added.

New York City ‘not going to get hit’ any errant: Hochul

Hochul assured New York merchants that they had nothing to fear, as they were “by and large honest people” who followed the rules and the law.

“This judge determined that Donald Trump did not follow the rules.”

The fine, which Trump plans to appeal, could force him to sell some of his properties in New York, including Trump Tower. He has already sold his Ferry Point golf course in The Bronx to Bally’s.

Hochul also said she would support tougher penalties for reckless e-bike, scooter and cyclist riders, and oppose any MTA fare hike.

ALSO READ| Donald Trump tells supporters his $355 million fraud fine is ‘election interference ploy’

“Public safety also includes not just getting shot, not just getting your Apple phone stolen out of your pocket while you are on the subway, it also means you’re not going to get hit by one of these errant” scooters or cyclists," she said.

“No increases go up without coming through me. We’re not going to any major [fare] increases to bail out the [transit] system any longer,” the NYC Gov said.

“We’re trying to encourage people to take the trains and subways. That’s how we will deal with the crisis we have.”

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