Trump says he has nearly $500 million in cash but doesn’t want to use it to pay New York judgment

By MICHAEL R. SISAK
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump says he has almost a half-billion dollars in cash but would rather spend it on his presidential run instead of the $454 million civil fraud judgment against him in New York. The former Republican president hopes to have a court excuse him from a requirement that he prove he’s good for the money while appealing the staggering verdict. A judge in February found that Trump repeatedly lied about his wealth on financial statements given to banks and others to secure loans and make deals. Trump denies that he deceived anyone. Trump’s lawyers have struggled to obtain a bond covering the judgment because underwriters insisted on cash, stocks or other liquid assets instead of real estate as collateral.