The Manhattan judge who decided Donald Trump’s $250 million civil fraud trial lost his cool Wednesday, slamming his hand on the bench and blurting out, “This is ridiculous,” as the former president’s lawyers grilled his former accountant about an inconsistent testimony.
The judge’s angry reaction came after Trump’s side claimed that Donald Bender, a partner at accounting firm Mazars USA, was evading their questions.
The lawyers had also repeatedly insisted that they must meticulously review Trump’s financial records with Bender “year after year.”
“Don’t waste your time,” Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron said sternly.
Trump’s lawyer, Jesús Suárez, spent part of Tuesday afternoon and all of Wednesday morning questioning Bender and said he would continue the questioning until the end of the day.
“This is ridiculous!” Engoron said, slamming his hand on the bench. “Mr. Bender is not on trial here.”
Another Trump lawyer, Christopher Kise, said the only thing Bender “seems to remember is what the government wants him to remember.”
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron lost his temper during former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial and warned Trump’s lawyers not to waste their time.Steven Hirsch
“We need to be allowed to analyze the evidence; we did not present this case,” Kise argued.
Alina Habba, also Trump’s lawyer, chimed in: “We haven’t received a single response from him… he has no memory as we sit here.”
Kise admitted that they will try to “speed up” the cross-examination before the judge reiterates: “Let’s not waste time.”
During the course of testimony on Wednesday, the third day of the trial in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit, Engoron reviewed Trump’s legal team twice more, suggesting at one point that they were pandering to the press and leading conduct his defense as if a jury were present.
Trump’s lawyers accused accountant Donald Bender of evading their questions. Photo by JEENAH MOON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
“There is no jury here,” he said, reportedly prompting an exasperated response from Trump, 77, who threw his arms in the air as he sat with his lawyers at the defense table.
“Who are you talking to: me, the press or the public?” Engoron asked Kise another time.
Similarly, a prosecutor for the Attorney General’s Office was surprised to hear that Bender would be questioned by Trump’s side for the rest of the day.
Follow The Post’s live blog for the latest on former President Donald Trump’s fraud trial.
“There is no jury. “I don’t know who we are acting for,” the lawyer was heard saying.
The 2024 Republican presidential front-runner, who decided to attend the trial since it began Monday in Lower Manhattan, left for Florida after Wednesday’s lunch break, CNN reported.
Engoron noted that “Mr. Bender is not on trial here” after calling questions from Trump’s legal team “ridiculous.” John Nacion/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Trump was scheduled to go directly to the airport to return to Mar-a-Lago, a source told the outlet.
It was not immediately clear if or when Trump would return to court, although he has said he would testify if called to testify.
Engoron seemed in better spirits after the lunch break and joked about Attorney General Kevin Wallace’s birthday, saying, “Today is a very important day.”
When James, who has attended the entire trial so far, returned after lunch, he said “the Trump show is over.”
Engoron reminded Trump’s team that there is no jury for the trial. AP Photo/Mary Altaffer
James said Trump’s appearance at the civil trial, which he is not required to attend, unlike criminal cases, was a “political stunt” and a “fundraising stop.”
“I will not be intimidated,” the attorney general said of the former president’s repeated personal attacks against her. “Justice will be done.”
In the afternoon, the Prosecutor’s Office interrupted Bender’s testimony to remove a witness out of turn.
Camron Harris, an auditor at the accounting firm Whitley Penn who handled Trump’s books in 2020, testified in the afternoon that “the client is responsible” for the financial disclosure statements, documents in which James claims Trump lied from 2011 to 2021.
Attorney General Letitia James called Trump’s appearance at the trial a “political stunt.” Steven Hirsch
Harris testified that Eric Trump, another defendant in the case who was present in the courtroom that morning, “set the tone from the top” for the Trump Organization board of directors.
Bender continued to testify after Harris’ testimony concluded.
Trump’s appearance at the 60 Center Street courthouse prompted protesters to come out in force Monday morning, even blocking a street outside.
The former president has taken every opportunity in front of the press and on social media to criticize the case, the attorney general, the judge and even the judge’s clerk, prompting Engoron to issue a limited gag order Tuesday afternoon .
Arriving at court on Wednesday, Trump launched into a three-minute rant criticizing James for allegedly using the prosecution against him in her failed gubernatorial bid.
“This is a railroad and it is the beginning of communism in our country,” Trump said.
He also did not rule out the possibility of becoming the next House speaker after calls from some Republicans following Kevin McCarthy’s ouster on Tuesday.
“Many people have been calling me on the loudspeaker. All I can say is that we will do what is best for the country and the Republican Party,” he said before entering the courtroom.
Upon leaving, Trump again launched into a tirade for several minutes, saying that the case was “rigged.”
Trump called the case “rigged” after reaching court.Alec Tabak
The defense filed a notice of appeal Wednesday over Engoron’s ruling last week that sided with the attorney general on one of his main claims that Trump should be held liable for fraud.
The decision also canceled Trump’s business licenses in the state.
The Attorney General’s Office argued in its opening statements that Trump exaggerated his assets for years to gain an advantage in loans and insurance and also for his vanity to climb the Forbes billionaires list.
Trump was later removed from the list.
Trump’s lawyers argued that their client repaid all the loans he took out for the Trump Organization and that banks made millions from his business.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn