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By J. Edward Howell Jr.
Your Turn

I think a person who expresses an opinion on a particular matter should first give their credentials that support their opinion.

I am an 89 year old white male that farmed for 30 years, opened and operated an aerial Crop Spraying operation for 10 years; I obtained and held a broker’s license in Virginia and North Carolina; I graduated from the Commercial and Industrial Real Estate Institute. I hold the CCIM designation and also the GRI designation (Graduate of the Real Estate Institute of Virginia). I owned and operated Howell Realty Service for about 15 years. With these credentials, I think the average person would admit that I would be familiar with, at least, the rudimentary aspects of real estate transactions. Just as an aside, I bought, leased and obtained Conditional Use permits for parcels of land for the telecommunication companies to install their cellphone tower sites on. I also figured the tax liability that was the responsibility of the various companies I worked for and filed that information with the applicable County Courts.

The Attorney General, Letitia James, in New York has brought charges against Donald Trump and his sons for fraudulent activities in real estate dealings. She cites “inflating the value of his real estate holdings.” This, she says, caused the City of New York to lose tax money. How is that possible? Donald Trump’s real estate holdings are valued by the tax assessor not Donald Trump! He has not been charged with failure to pay his real estate taxes!

She also cited him for defrauding lending agencies by inflating the value of his holdings that were used as collateral for loans. That CANNOT BE. Lending agencies require an appraisal from and independent appraiser! Nobody or no bank has been defrauded. No has been caused any harm by the Trump organization!

The charges being brought against the Trump organization are simply to harass and keep him from being a successful presidential candidate in the election for president in 2024.

All citizens should be appalled at the brazen attempt by this Attorney General to cause problems for the Trump organization. What standing does she have to bring charges against an innocent person, Donald Trump, just because she hates him and his many successes?

The Judge should throw out ALL of these malicious false charges and reprimand the Attorney General!

J. Edward Howell Jr. is a native of Southampton County. He can be reached via email at jimmy9298@charter.net.