355 million dollars. One could purchase 5 Gulfstream G650 (a private jet) with such a large sum of money. In February, a New York judge ordered Donald Trump to pay this fee plus interest as a result of his lying on key financial documents to grow his real estate enterprise. More specifically, the former President was convicted of inflating his net worth and the value of his properties resulting in better opportunities for loans and reduced taxes, a form of financial fraud. And with interest accruing every day on his bond, Letitia James, the New York attorney general, predicts that this figure will be closer to 450 million dollars. According to Forbes, Trump has a network close to 6 billion dollars but his liquid assets are closer to 600 million. Considering the circumstances, the upcoming 2024 Presidential election, and his legal troubles, this ruling could have massive implications.

Along with the hefty fine, the ruling came with some other stipulations regarding his business dealings. First, Trump is barred for the next 3 years from holding top executive positions at any company residing in New York. Considering that Trump holds a substantial amount of real estate in the state, this punishment drastically reduces the former President’s influence in his own company. Moreover, the court sent two monitors to oversee the financial dealings of Trump’s company, further reducing his power. The last significant consequence of the ruling was Trump was no longer allowed to take loans from New York banks, limiting his financial avenues.

Sentiment around this case varied significantly throughout the political spectrum. Republicans claim that this ruling was politicized and was a means for the Democrats to hamper the Republican presidential nominee. On the contrary, this reinforces the Democrats’ view of Trump being an untrustworthy individual who is incapable of being a competent President.

Before giving my perspective on the matter, I would like to preface by acknowledging the complexity of such a case and its implications for our nation’s future. The ruling of this case has come at a critical time in the 2024 presidential election. The Trump campaign has disclosed that they have raised approximately 93 million heading into April which is a measly sum in comparison to the 1 billion dollars that were raised for his re-election bid in 2020. This figure is made even worse when looking at how much President Biden was able to fundraise: 155 million dollars. With such a hefty fine along with his legal fees, he is extremely short on cash. Such interference can and will have a significant impact on the election as one of the candidates has drastically more resources than the other. But while it’s important to consider the effects on our democratic system, the fact of the matter is that Mr. Trump committed financial fraud. Take the person out of this matter and consider the situation at hand. If this was any other individual, I’m confident that the perception among the public would be different. If we are going to punish Trump for his financial wrongdoings, we should apply the same standard and same vigor when it comes to other cases of financial fraud. After all, New York ranks fourth in the country for the most fraud reports. This is not a Trump or political issue. This is an enforcement issue. We need sweeping change in our judicial system so that it’s possible to try more cases, so that it’s possible to deter individuals from crime, and so that it’s possible to make the world ever fairer. But hey, it’s just a thought!