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A former fundraiser for then-President Obama defended former President Trump against the $464 million bond levied against him by a New York judge, telling Fox News the Empire State obviously wants to inflict “pain” in case the GOP nominee wins his appeal.
Trump was ordered to remit a $464 million bond ahead of his appeal, or face potential liens or property seizures as threatened by New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James after Judge Arthur Engoron handed down the landmark fine.
On Thursday, however, Don Peebles suggested to Fox News the situation is a ploy to disrupt Trump’s presidential campaign and hurt him personally before that ability is lost in future proceedings, and that James “made a mistake.”
Peebles, a Miami Beach real estate developer, underlined he’s been a supporter of James for a long time and praised her support for minority-owned businesses since her time representing Fort Greene on city council in the early 2000s.
PLEADING THE EIGHTH? EX-PROSECUTOR SAYS ‘DON’T COUNT TRUMP OUT’
Video“I have expressed concern that I think that this is a very slippery slope to selectively enforce an archaic law that has got no victim,” Peebles said on “,” adding James should allow Trump to continue the appeals process unimpeded if she is confident in her case.
Peebles also said the bond has nothing to do with whether Trump is a flight risk, but more so a guarantee of sorts the state of New York is able to damage Trump while it has the chance.
“I think they are confident, or think it’s likely that this will get reversed, and then there will be no punishment,” he said.
PENCE DECLINES TO ENDORSE TRUMP
Video“So they’re rushing to inflict as much pain on him as they can right now because once the appeals court puts an end to this, then there will be no repercussions,” Peebles explained, adding the case appears to embody a “tactic” of distracting Trump from the campaign trail.
While the two men are both Florida-based real estate developers, Peebles noted he retains differences with Trump, including over past suggestions Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii. In 2016, Trump declared he formally believes Obama was born in the United States.
The developer has not held back when asked about criticism of President Biden either, as he told Fox Business in a February interview the Democratic Party should “turn the page” on their nominee.
Video“I don’t see how [Biden] can beat Donald Trump,” Peebles said at the time.
“If all that’s been thrown at the former president has been thrown at him and he’s still ahead in the polls, it’s telling us all something that Americans don’t want [Biden] and this administration anymore, and it’s time for him to move on for the good of the country.”
Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.
Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.
Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.
