opinion
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump found a way around Judge Arthur Engoron's ruling that he couldn't speak during closing arguments and criticized his own fraud trial anyway.
The dramatic moment prompted Engoron to ask Trump's lawyer to “control his client.”
The judge ruled on Wednesday that the former president would not be allowed to speak during closing arguments due to concerns that he would not commit to “relevant” matters and avoid giving a “election speech.”
Trump took to his social media platform Truth to call Engoron's decision “despicable and bad” and reiterated that he would like to “personally do the closing arguments.”
His attorney made a last-minute effort to let his client speak. When the judge repeated the rules again and inquired whether Trump would abide by them, the tirade began.
Trump says almost all legal experts agree his fraud trial in New York should be dismissed, but Letitia James is a “racist scumbag with complete power and control over the judge.” He warns Judge Engoron that “the whole country is watching” so he better “do the right thing.” pic.twitter.com/ACpup0AbUW
– Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) January 9, 2024
RELATED: Trump shares clip of New York prosecutor calling him 'illegitimate president'
Trump attacks the judge, the trial, and the prosecutor
Despite Judge Engoron's warning to adhere to the evidence and the law, Trump went off script and took the opportunity to express his frustration with the case.
Trump directed his comments at the judge, criticizing the fraud trial and saying actual fraud had been committed against him.
“When you say don't step out of these things, we have a situation where I'm an innocent man, and I'm being persecuted by someone running for office, and I think you have to cross the line,” Trump said. He said.
He added: “This is a scam on me.” “What happened here, sir, is a fraud on me.”
Trump also criticized Attorney General Letitia James for prosecuting the fraud in the first place.
He defended his business practices, saying he “did nothing wrong” and that the district attorney's office “should pay me for what we had to go through.”
Trump previously accused James of exploiting the case to advance her political ambitions.
“I think she used this case to try to become governor, and she used it successfully to become prosecutor. “I think it is a shame that this case continues,” he said in a previous court session.
James campaigned for attorney general by saying she would “never be afraid to challenge this illegitimate president.”
RELATED: Trump responds to recent lawsuit filed by NY AG Letitia James against the Trump Organization
“Control your customer”
Trump's surprising control of the trial on Thursday prompted Judge Engoron to advise his lawyers to silence him.
After Trump accused Engoron of setting an “agenda” and reprimanded him for interrupting his speech — “You can’t listen for a minute” — the judge tried to restore order.
“Mr. Casey, please take control of your client,” he said.
Trump's outburst is the latest development in a trial that the public is watching closely. The case, brought by James, alleges that Trump and his company, the Trump Organization, committed fraud by inflating the value of their assets to secure loans and tax benefits.
James is seeking to confiscate Trump's $370 million and permanently ban him from working in the real estate sector in New York.
Engoron said he would try to reach a final decision by January 31, though he cautioned there was “no guarantee” on that timeline.
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