New York court throws Donald Trump a lifeline

A New York appeals court has given Trump a legal and financial lifeline by reducing his bail from nearly half a billion dollars to $175 million, AFP reports.
The appeals court panel gave Trump, who was facing potential immediate forfeiture of some of his real estate, 10 days to secure the money.
The Republican presidential nominee received the unexpectedly positive news about his civil fraud case in New York while sitting in court for another case - a hearing in the upcoming criminal trial against him that is linked to Trump buying the silence of a porn star.
Trump was facing a deadline today to post the huge initial bail pending an appeal of the judge's ruling that he is liable for fraud related to a conspiracy to inflate his net worth.
Trump made it clear he was unable to find $454 million and risked New York state seizing part of his property empire. Under the new ruling, he will have 10 more days to pay just $175 million.
On his Truth Social, Trump said he "will comply with the Appellate Division's decision and post either bail, equivalent securities, or cash."
The 77-year-old Republican began his day in a Manhattan courtroom at a hearing to set a new date for his trial over payments he made in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election to make sure porn star Stormy Daniels would not disclose a sexual encounter with him.
"This is a witch hunt," Trump told reporters before entering the courthouse.
The trial related to the porn star was supposed to begin today, but was postponed at the last minute as prosecutors belatedly submitted tens of thousands of pages of potential evidence.
The Manhattan district attorney told Judge Juan Merchan that he would accept a delay of up to 30 days in the start of the trial, while Trump's lawyers have asked for at least three months.
"Election interference"
Trump has described both lawsuits as a "politically motivated attack" ahead of the November 5 presidential election, when he is likely to face Joe Biden again.
"These are rigged cases, all coordinated by the White House and the Justice Department to interfere in the election," Trump said. "There is no crime. Our country is CORRUPT!" he added.
Trump regularly rails against the justice system, which he says is "rigged" against him.
He said New York Attorney General Leticia James, who is black, is "racist," and told Judge Arthur Engeron in the civil fraud case that he was "crooked."
Trump got some positive financial news last week when it was announced that his company Truth Social would finally go public via a merger, a deal that could net him billions of dollars.
He won't be able to cash in for six months, but it could potentially help him secure bonds.
In the event of non-payment, however, James could still order a freeze on his bank accounts or proceed to foreclose on some of his New York properties. /BGNES