“Give him control!”: Judge explodes over Trump

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Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Donald Trump (77) several times in court on Monday not to make ‘speeches’. “This is not a political rally, this is a courtroom,” he said.

Engoron’s growing anger was fueled by Trump’s lengthy answers. The 77-year-old used this under oath to accuse Democrats of using the judiciary as a weapon against him. The courts and the Public Prosecution Service are biased towards him.

“Get him under control”

When Trump started ranting again about the judiciary in response to a simple question, Engoron burst out of his collar. He turned to his lawyer and said, “Mr. Kise, that was a simple yes or no question. Instead we got another speech. Make sure he’s under control. If you can’t do it, I will.”

Engoron said irritably, “I don’t want to hear everything this witness has to say.” The ex-president, in turn, spoke of a “very unfair” and “crazy” trial. President Joe Biden’s Democrats would attack him “from fifteen different sides.”

‘Brand Trump’ is crucial

On Monday, Trump became the first former US president in more than a century to testify in court as a defendant. He denied under oath the charge that financial documents related to his real estate empire were fraudulent: “They weren’t really documents that the banks paid much attention to.”

The New York State Attorney General’s office, which prosecuted him, accused Trump of failing to consider the “Trump brand” when valuing his properties. “I became president because of my brand,” said the right-wing populist.

Trump is accused of fraud

Trump is accused of inflating the assets of his real estate empire by billions of dollars over the years to get better terms on loans and insurance. The Republican dismisses the accusations as a politically motivated attempt to harm him before the presidential elections in November 2024.

Immediately before his testimony, Trump told reporters outside the courtroom that he was the victim of “political warfare” and “election interference.” “The people in the country understand that, they see it. And they don’t like that.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James had recently said that Trump would definitely insult those involved in the proceedings again and make racist comments. “But in the end, only facts and figures count,” said the African-American, who belongs to the Democratic Party. “And numbers, my friends, don’t lie.”

Two fines imposed on Trump

Trump has already testified behind closed doors twice in the proceedings initiated by James, albeit prior to the trial and not in court. He has repeatedly appeared in court in person in the civil proceedings that have been ongoing since early October.

He used the proceedings as a campaign stage and for attacks on Judge Engoron and Attorney General James. Engoron has already imposed two fines on Trump of $5,000 and $10,000 (4,660 and 9,320 euros) for attacking a court employee.

Before the actual trial, the judge had already ruled that Trump had overestimated the assets of his real estate and had thus committed ‘fraud’. The civil trial is therefore mainly concerned with the question of how high the penalty will be.

He faces no prison sentence

Attorney General James has sought a $250 million fine. She also wants Trump and his two eldest sons, Donald Trump Junior and Eric Trump, to be banned from running businesses in New York. The ex-president is not threatened with a prison sentence in these proceedings.

Trump’s eldest sons, who are part of the management of the Trump Organization family holding company, testified in court last week. They claimed that the financial documents at the heart of the proceedings were the responsibility of accountants. Trump’s eldest daughter Ivanka, who is no longer a suspect in the proceedings, will also testify at the trial this week.

In addition to the civil case, former President Trump has been charged in four criminal cases. Two charges relate to the Republican’s attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election to remain in power. (SDA/AFP/neo)

Source: Blick