LETTER: Where were the banks in the Donald Trump saga?

In his Saturday letter to the editor (“Trump trial”), Bob Ebinger explains that Donald Trump lies about his wealth and inflates the value of his real properties. He goes on to suggest the fines assessed in the recent New York City civil trial were on ill-gotten gains and were justified. But I believe Mr. Ebinger failed to see the real criminal in the room, the banks. The charges and fines should have been levied against them.

Bank officials — if they are truly dealing with a criminal liar and despot, as Mr. Ebinger suggests — are not doing due diligence to protect depositor funds. It is the bank’s full responsibility to fully vet people or businesses that are applying for loans. If bank officials are operating in a criminal, lazy or unethical way, they should be the ones on trial.

The banks have convinced the politicians and most of Americans that they are too big to fail. The large financial institutions run without regard to laws, ethics or integrity using this mantra to justify their actions.

It is a sad day when the courts are used for purely political reasons as opposed to going after the real criminals.