“No, I’m not here to hear what he has to say,” Engoron said, his voice rising. “I’m here to hear him answer questions.” Engoron didn’t want an extensive defense, just “yes’ and “no” answers.
Former President Trump completed his testimony in the civil suit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, and it went as expected. Mr. Trump gave thorough answers that Judge Engoron and his ally, Prosecutor Wallace didn’t want to hear.
Mr. Trump and lefty judge Arthur Engoron exchanged barbs while Trump was testifying in Letitia James’ partisan lawsuit against him. Donald Trump’s legal team will file for a mistrial.
Engoron and the prosecutor didn’t like Trump’s long answers, which provided context.
“Please just answer the questions, no speeches,” Engoron said, making it clear he doesn’t care what he says.
BEYOND THE STATURE OF LIMITATIONS
When asked about his involvement with financial statements, Trump said: “It was so long ago, but well beyond the statute of limitations for anyone else, but not me because I’m sure the judge will rule against me.”
Engoron fired back, asking if this quote was a “necessary part of the narrative?” “You can attack me as much as you want, but please answer the question,” Engoron said.
Trump addressed the values of his properties. “Values are far bigger than what’s on the statements… I thought 40 Wall St… Doral was underestimated, considerably more valuable.”
Trump strongly criticized the pricing of Mar-a-Lago, “$18 million, but it is worth 50 to 100 times more than that.”
“But the judge ruled against me. I don’t know how he got to those numbers.”
“The most valuable asset was the brand asset, but I didn’t put it on the statement…If I wanted to build up a statement, like you said, I would have added the brand value here.”
Engoron, who didn’t seem to care what Donald Trump thought, said, “Can you control your client? This is not a political rally: this is a courtroom.”
“They should try to ask better questions,” Trump’s lawyer said, referencing Wallace’s questions.
Trump reiterated his legal team’s often-argued assertion that the New York attorney general office’s case is outside the statute of limitations.
“You’re going into ancient history,” Trump said. “But that’s OK, that’s the way it’s been working in this one.”
THE DISCLAIMER
He also repeated his team’s argument that a disclaimer clause in the business’ statements of financial condition absolves them of any falsely reported information within those documents.
“Therefore, you have no case,” Trump said.
The former president added that the disclaimer clause “goes on forever,” after which state lawyer Kevin Wallace quipped that the clause “isn’t the only thing that goes on forever.”
Trump said that the case has “no victim” as his testimony resumed Monday afternoon.
“We’re trying to figure out, why are you doing this?” Trump said of the lawsuit.
“No one understands it. Well, I understand it — it’s called pol-i-tics,” the former president continued, enunciating each syllable of the word.
Andy McCarthy talked about the Soviet-style trial.
MISTRIAL!
Trump’s legal team said shortly after he wrapped up his testimony that they intend to file a mistrial in the former president’s fraud case.
The grounds for the motion were not immediately clear but appeared to reference the judge’s principal clerk who has become an unwitting main character in the trial.
“We obviously will be moving for mistrial … we don’t want to put anyone at risk,” Trump attorney Alina Habba said.
After the trial, Alina Habba described an unhinged judge slamming his fist on the table and silencing her.
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