House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik filed a complaint calling for the removal of the judge presiding over former President Donald Trump’s $250 million business fraud trial.
Stefanik claimed that Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron has shown “clear judicial bias” against Trump.
Engoron is presiding over New York Attorney General Letitia James’ case accusing Trump, his two adult sons, and others of fraudulently inflating their asset values for various financial benefits.
Rep. Stefanik on Friday filed an ethics complaint against Engoron, and its’ impressive. Engoron’s a kook.
Rep. Stefanik wrote in her filing:
[1.] “At the start of the trial, Judge Engoron infamously smiled and posed for the cameras.
[Video is not in the filing]
[Engoron and his aide were eye rolling at Trump’s lawyer as well.]
[2] After the defendant won an appellate ruling against Judge Engoron on the appropriate statute of limitations in this case, the judge simply ignored the ruling.
[3] Judge Engoron entered summary judgment against the defendant before the trial even began, without witnesses, other evidence, and cross-examination. This, despite the fact there’s disputed material evidence–and there’s no victim of the defendant’s supposed fraud. Indeed, as the trial evidence has made clear, the defendant paid back the sophisticated Wall Street banks, on time, in full, with interest, as agreed.
[4] No insurance company paid a penny. And these banks and insurance companies, supposedly defrauded, continue to do business with the defendant. Yet Judge Engoron decreed before trial the defendant somehow committed fraud. Now, the judge is holding a trial–with no jury–to determine how much of Tish James’ requested $250 million in damages–with no victims–he will extract from the defendant. How does this not violate the defendant’s Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial?”
The media has called Engoron “quirky,” but how would they like him judging whether or not they and their family would have all their wealth stolen from them?
As the trial has gone on, Engoron has silenced Donald Trump and his attorneys. When Mr. Trump tried to read the disclosure that exonerated him, Engoron said he could not read it. It’s a kangaroo court.
This is what Rep. Stefanik wrote on X after she noted that Engoron makes the New York judicial system look like a “laughing stock”:
[1] Papenfuss, Mary, “‘He’s Just A Bad Guy’: Judge Slams Claim That Trump Is Unfairly Singled Out In AG Probe,” HuffPost, February 17, 2022, huffpost.com/entry/bad-guy-
[2] Stanton, Andrew, “Video of Judge Smiling During Trump Trial Goes Viral,” Newsweek, October 2, 2023, newsweek.com/video-judge-sm
[3] “Applying the proper statute of limitations and the appropriate tolling, claims are time barred if they accrued – that is, the transactions were completed – before February 6, 2016 (see Boesky v Levine, 193 AD3d 403, 405 [1st Dept2021]; Rogal v Wechsler, 135 AD2d 384, 385 [1st Dept 1987]). For defendants bound by the tolling agreement, claims are untimely if they accrued before July 13, 2014.” New York v. Trump, Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department, decided on June 27, 2023, nycourts.gov/courts/ad1/cal
[4] Larson, Erick and Patricia Hurtado, “Ex-Deutsche Bank risk manager says loans to Trump were reviewed thoroughly,” Bloomberg, October 12, 2023, finance.yahoo.com/news/ex-deutsc
[5] Scher, Brent, “New York Judge Caught Smiling During Trump Trial Is Lifelong Democrat Donor,” The Daily Wire, October 2, 2023, dailywire.com/news/new-york-
[6] “Part 100. Judicial Conduct,” NYCOURTS.GOV, accessed November 9, 2023: ww2.nycourts.gov/rules/chiefadm
[7] Ibid.
[8] Boyle, Matthew, “Complaint Calls for Trump New York Trial Judge’s Clerk to Be Disbarred for Excessive Political Donations,” Breitbart News, November 2, 2023, breitbart.com/politics/2023/
[9] Ibid. [
10] Ibid.
[11] Gilbertson, Nick, “NY Judge Gags Trump Lawyers from Discussing ‘Confidential Communications’ of Activist Court Clerk,” Breitbart News, November 3, 2023, breitbart.com/2024-election/
[12] McCarthy, Andrew, “Trump Earns Himself a Dubious Gag Order,” National Review, October 4, 2023. nationalreview.com/2023/10/trump-
[13] Gerstein, Josh, “ACLU: Trump’s Gag Order in Federal Case Is Unconstitutional,” Politico, October 25, 2023, politico.com/news/2023/10/2
[14] Legare, Robert, “Appeals Court Pauses Trump Gag Order in 2020 Election Interference Case,” CBS News, November 3, 2023, cbsnews.com/news/appeals-c
[15] New York v. Trump (Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, September 26, 2023)
[16] Spencer, Terry, “Is Mar-a-Lago Worth $1 Billion? Trump’s Winter Home Valuations Are at the Core of His Fraud Trial,” Associated Press, October 9, 2023, apnews.com/article/trump-
[17] New York v. Trump (Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, September 26, 2023)
[18] Ibid.
[19] Ibid.
[20] Wester, Jane, “Administrative Judge Rejects Trump’s Request to Move New York AG’s Fraud Suit to Commercial Division,” New York Law Journal, October 19, 2022, law.com/newyorklawjour
[21] Griffing, Alex, “Fox’s Andy McCarthy Slams Entire New York Justice System As ‘Fraudulent’ Over AG’s Civil Fraud Case Against Trump,” Mediaite, November 6, 2023, mediaite.com/tv/foxs-andy-m
[22] “Part 100. Judicial Conduct,” NYCOURTS.GOV, accessed November 9, 2023: ww2.nycourts.gov/rules/chiefadm
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