Trump tangles with judge as civil fraud trial ends
DONALDTrump on Thursday accused the New York judge in his civil fraud trial of “having your own agenda” — and the judge told his lawyer to control his client — as a months-long case that could #* ' /# !*-( - +- .$ )/ǭ. 0.$) .. empire came to an end.
0-$)" *)/ )/$*0. ơ) ' 4 *! /# trial in Manhattan, Trump once again tangled with Justice Arthur Engoron, who is considering what penalties to impose
Ƥ - -'$ - ơ) $)" /# / -0(+ǭ. *(+ )4 $)ƣ / #$. ) / 2*-/# /* 2$) // - ơ) ) ing terms. The judge, deciding the case without a jury, said he hoped to issue a ruling by January 31.
“You have your own agenda. I under./ ) /# / 4*0 )ǭ/ '$./ ) !*- (*- /# ) one minute,” Trump told Engoron in court, as he denied wrongdoing and repeated claims of political persecution.
-0(+ǭ. ' " ' / ( ) /# *Ʀ *! 2 York Attorney General Letitia James delivered closing arguments in a case accus$)" #$( *! $)ƣ /$)" #$. ) / 2*-/# /* 0+ banks. Kevin Wallace, a lawyer from her *Ʀ Ǡ . $ -0(+ǭ. *(+ )4 $..0 ! '. ơ) ) $ ' ./ / ( )/. 1 -4 4 - /2 ) 2011 and 2021.
“Fraud was central to the operation of /# -0(+ -" )$5 /$*)ǭ. /$1$/$ .Ǡǯ 'lace told the judge. James is seeking nearly $370 million and a lifetime ban on Trump !-*( /# ./ / ǭ. - 'Ƕ ./ / $) 0./-4ǟ
Andrew Amer, an attorney for the state, . $ -0(+ǭ. ơ) ) $ ' ./ / ( )/. !-*( fore he became president clearly showed he was responsible for their contents.
“The buck stopped with him,” Amer said. Trump, who served as president from 2017-2021, is now the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the November US election. Republican voters in *2 ) 2 (+.#$- 2$'' /# ơ-./ to decide their preferred party nominee this month.
The closing arguments took place in an /(*.+# - *! # $"#/ ) . 0-$/4 Ƥ - media outlets reported a bomb threat at )"*-*)ǭ. .0 0- ) #*( ǟ # %0 " # .
) !- ,0 )/ / -" / *! -0(+ǭ. -$/$cism, and the two clashed repeatedly on Thursday. “Please control your client,” the %0 " / *) +*$)/ /*' -0(+ǭ. ' 24 -Ǡ Christopher Kise. Engoron earlier reacted sceptically to $. ǭ. -"0( )//# / -0(+.#*0' )*/ + nalised for allegedly manipulating the value of his properties because lenders and insurers that did business with him still turned a +-*ơ/ǟ
“There does not have to be any evidence of harm,” Engoron said.
Trump separately has pleaded not guilty in four criminal prosecutions, including two charging him with unlawfully trying to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden. All could go to trial before the election.
The judge found Trump liable for fraud in September, leaving the trial to focus largely on how much money he should surrender as ill-gotten gains. Trump has appealed that order and is almost certain to appeal any verdict against him.
Throughout the trial that began with opening statements on October 2, the ./ / ǭ. ' 24 -. .*0"#/ /* .#*2 /# / -0(+ consistently overstated the value of many of the towers, golf clubs and other assets that burnished his reputation as a business mogul before he entered politics.