Trump Rattles Off Greatest Hits In Bombastic Attack on NY AG and Civil Trial Judge: ‘The Public is Angry’
AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez
Former President Donald Trump rattled off a series of attacks on New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) and Judge Arthur Engoron on Friday, claiming that the public is angry and that legal scholars were “killing” them over their handling of his civil fraud trial in New York State.
“Why didn’t Judge Engoron announce his decision yesterday after we proved conclusively that I DID NOTHING WRONG!!!” wondered Trump on Truth Social.
He continued:
NO JURY ALLOWED, Great Financial Statements, No Victims, No Fraud, No Crimes, Happy Banks and Insurance Companies, only success and profits — And a corrupt N.Y.S. Attorney General, who sat comfortably and confidently in Court yesterday with her shoes off, arms folded, a Starbucks Coffee, and a BIG smile on her face… JUST LIKE SHE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THE DECISION WILL BE! The closing argument of the State was pathetic, NO WITNESSES AND NO EVIDENCE AGAINST ME! Legal Scholars are “killing” the A.G. and Judge for this Witch Hunt. The Judge is being badly influenced, and the Gag Order must come off! REMEMBER,THIS JUDGE RULED AGAINST ME BEFORE THE TRAIL EVEN STARTED, AND HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE CASE. The public is angry over this HOAX. This trial is RIGGED!
Trump has spent the last several months launching attacks against James, who brought the case against him after promising to investigate his businesses back in 2018, and Engoron, who has sparred with Trump’s legal team throughout the trial. Engoron found Trump liable for the fraud alleged by James in a summary ruling and the current trial is to establish damages.
Trump’s personal attacks on Engoron’s staff, including sharing a link to his clerk’s personal Instagram account, resulted in a partial gag order on the former president. The court has documented hundreds of threats received by Engoron and his staff amid Trump’s apparent attempts at intimidation.
On Thursday, Trump attended closing arguments at the trial, where he was allowed to speak by Engoron for somewhere around five minutes before being cut off by the judge.
“We have a situation where I’m an innocent man. I’ve been persecuted by somebody running for office and I think you have to go outside the bounds,” argued Trump before adopting a less respectful tone.
“You have your own agenda, I certainly understand that. You can’t listen for more than one minute,” he reportedly told Engoron.
James has asked Engoron to fine Trump $370 million for exaggerating the value of the Trump Organization’s assets, as well as banning him from operating in New York.
