Judge Arthur Engoron is currently preparing his judgment in Trump’s civil fraud case in New York, in which Attorney General Leitita James sought well over $300 million in damages. On Thursday, Engoron shot back at yet another jab at his impartiality by Trump’s legal team.
Firm words
“You and your co-counsel have been questioning my impartiality since the early days of this case,” Engoron wrote in a letter to Trump’s lawyers, “perhaps because I sometimes rule against your clients.”
Losing patience
“That whole approach,” Engoron concluded, “is getting old.” Over the monthslong trial, Trump has repeatedly attacked the judge, his family, and other officials involved in the case, which he has also dismissed as a “witch hunt.”
The final straw
The latest scuffle started when Engoron asked lawyers involved in the trial for information on Allen Weisselberg. According to CNN, the former CFO of the Trump Organization was negotiating a plea deal with the prosecution.
Specific issue
During the trial, Weisselberg testified about his involvement in the fraud committed by Trump and his eponymous business organization. Weisselberg allegedly misrepresented the size of Trump’s apartment.
Abrupt stop
Financial statements listed the apartment as 30,000 square feet, almost three times larger than it is in reality. Weisselberg denied being involved with this evaluation, but suddenly stopped testifying after a Forbes article was published claiming he had lied under oath.
The sticky details
The potential plea deal is between Weisselberg and prosecutors pursuing a separate case against trump. As part of the deal, Weisselberg would reportedly admit to committing perjury in his testimony in the fraud trial.
Needing clarification
Engoron wrote that he wanted to know if Weisselberg “is admitting he lied under oath in my courtroom at this trial.” If true, Engoron explained, “his testimony on other topics could be called into question.”
Totally Unhelpful
On Wednesday, Trump’s legal team told Engoron they had nothing new to tell him. They also called his request for information “unprecedented, inappropriate, and troubling.”
Just doing his job
“I take seriously my obligation to find the facts,” Engoron told Trump’s legal team, “and determine the truth.”
Quite believable
“The fact that a defendant who lacks credibility and has already been to prison for falsifying business documents may have also perjured himself in this proceeding or the preceding investigation is hardly surprising,” New York attorney general counsel Kevin Wallace said.
Clock ticking
Wallace also pressed Engoron to reach his judgment as fast as possible. The trial began in October, and James began investigating Trump and his organization in early 2019.
Pending decision
Engoron’s could order Trump to pay upwards of $300 million in fines. He could also prohibit them from doing business in New York.
Relentless attacks
In November, Trump called Judge Engoron’s wife “Trump hating” and accused her and Engoron’s clerk of having “taken control of the New York State With Hunt Trial aimed at me, my family, and the Republican Party.”
Quiet down
The attack came just an hour after a gag order on Trump was reinstated. The order had been imposed in October after Trump and his legal team repeatedly attacked Engoron’s legal team.
No stopping
“Remember, the corrupt and radical Judge Engoron is a political hack,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in December. Trump called James a “racist” and labeled Engoron “the Runaway judge.”
Flooding in
When upholding the gag order, Engoron explained that he had been “inundated” with threats after Trump’s attacks on him and his team. “My law clerks are public servants who are performing their job in the manner in which I request,” he wrote.
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