"Well, I think that was very good. That last five minutes was outstanding because the judge essentially conceded that the statute of limitations that we won at the Court of Appeals is in effect. Therefore, about 80 percent of the case is over," he said recalling the pivotal last five minutes during the trial.
Judge Arthur Engoron rejected the ex-POTUS's request to delay the civil trial just last week. New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Trump, his children, and the Trump Organization. She alleged fraudulent activities, centering around Trump's effort to "inflate his net worth by billions of dollars" and the involvement of his children in these alleged misrepresentations.'
As per Trump's legal spokesperson, "Based on the judge's comments at the end of the trial today, it would appear that he is agreeing that all the transactions that closed prior to 2014 are now out of the case." According to the DailyMail, Engoron told prosecutors it may have been a 'waste of time' to bring in his former Mazars accountant Donald Bender to testify. Bender spoke at length about Trump's finances in 2011, even though a New York appellate court ruled that only allegations after 2014 were allowed to be presented. "I trust that you can relate the 2011 documents to something that happened later," Engoron told prosecutors. "Or this has all been a waste of time."
Trump gave a thumbs-up on the judge's last statement, saying it was very fair. "The way I interpret that ... the statute of limitations is a very real thing in this country, adding that the judge's statement was a welcome and unexpected development.
BREAKING ?: President Trump announces that the judge has dismissed 80% of Leticia James’s case due to statute of limitations.
Like all Trump cases, this is pure BS harassment and election interference. pic.twitter.com/ZgaNa2iFMM
— Monica Crowley (@MonicaCrowley) October 2, 2023
But despite recognizing the judge's fair treatment, Trump said, "As you know, we're not entitled to a jury, which is pretty unusual in the United States of America. So, we think it's very unfair that I don't have a jury." He has consistently been vocal about his belief that the investigation is politically motivated, expressing dissatisfaction such as not being provided a jury trial, a right he believes is fundamental in the United States.
Upon arriving at the Manhattan courthouse earlier on Monday, Trump posted: "Just arrived at the courthouse to fight a corrupt and racist attorney general, and a rogue, out of control, Trump-hating judge, who refuses to follow the appellate court decision which knocks out 80 percent of this sham case."
He added: "This is the continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time. Election interference!" According to the 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner, "They're trying to damage me so that I don't do as well as I'm doing in the election." (Related: Trump fraud case: Democrat judge, Democrat prosecutor, Democrat city.)
Judge issues gag order after Trump's social media post about Engoron's clerk
On the second day of the trial, Engoron issued a limited gag order after the former president made comments about the judge's clerk. "Consider this statement a gag order forbidding all parties from posting, emailing, or speaking publicly about any of my staff," the judge said. "Personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable, inappropriate and I will not tolerate them in any circumstances. Failure to abide by this order will result in serious sanctions."
Trump's comments about Engoron's law clerk, Attorney Allison Greenfield, was a "step too far," the judge claimed. Over lunch, Trump posted to a picture of her with the Democratic Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer. He called her "Schumer's girlfriend" and said she "is running this case against me. How disgraceful! This case should be dismissed immediately." The post on Trump's Truth Social platform was deleted on Engoron's orders.
Meanwhile, before the session wrapped up, Trump's lawyer Jesus Suarez grilled Bender over his work on the former president's taxes, repeatedly iterating that he should have kept closer tabs on the taxes for the "leader of the free world." "I am emotional about it because it's not funny," Suarez said. "The leader of the free world relied on you to get it right and you did not."
"He's sitting today, he's going through hell, tens of thousands of his employees are going through hell, and you missed it," Suarez said later in the cross-examination. Bender denied making a mistake or going to Trump "mortified" over it, as Suarez suggested.
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