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Donald Trump slammed the months-long fraud case against him and the attorney general suing him in a rapid, breathless statement from the defence table inside a Manhattan courtroom where his attorneys delivered closing arguments in the case.
The judge in charge of the civil lawsuit in the New York County Supreme Court had previously prohibited the ex-president from speaking in court, as his legal team had not agreed to only discuss the case and refrain from making any political statements or using the opportunity as a campaign tactic.
On Thursday, Judge Arthur Engoron offered him a second opportunity if he could commit to only presenting pertinent information about the case. Earlier in the day, the ex-president had expressed anger about the case on his Truth Social platform, resulting in police responding to a swatting incident at the judge’s residence.
The ex-president took advantage of his brief moment to connect the situation to his belief of a plot against him in his pursuit of the Republican presidential nomination. The judge did not explicitly allow him to begin speaking, but he proceeded with a lengthy, uninterrupted sentence, expressing his well-known complaints and portraying himself as a target of unjust political prosecution who deserves compensation for the legal actions taken against him.
“I believe, your honor, that the case transcends the facts. The financial records were flawless,” stated Mr. Trump from his position at the defense desk. “The banks were fully reimbursed.”
He asserted that no witness had opposed them and labeled the case as a political persecution.
He stated that we deserve compensation for the ordeal we have endured. He addressed the situation as a deceitful act against him.
He restated his assertion that the lawsuit is driven by political motives, suggesting a belief that it is part of a plan to interfere with the election. This theory suggests that the numerous legal actions against him are orchestrated by Democrats in an effort to prevent him, the probable Republican nominee, from winning the presidency.
The individual currently present in the room despises Trump and leveraged his name to win the election,” he stated, alluding to Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York.
After being reminded by the judge of the time limit on his clock, Mr. Trump responded by saying, “You cannot listen for more than one minute.”
Judge Engoron requested that his lawyer, Christopher Kise, maintain authority over his client and cautioned him that his speaking time would be restricted.
The judge informed Mr. Kise that “This situation could have played out very differently” if Mr. Trump had simply accepted the conditions outlined in the emails to his attorneys. The courtroom took a break for lunch at approximately 1pm.
The previous leader’s concluding statements in the case, wrapping up on Thursday after 11 weeks of testimonies from witnesses that started in October, highlight the increasing connection between his candidacy and numerous criminal and civil proceedings.
He has frequently utilized the hallway outside the courtroom to make passionate attacks on his political opponents and the lawsuits targeting him. He has also leveraged the progress of these lawsuits to gather millions of dollars for his campaign.
In September 2022, Ms. James filed a lawsuit against Mr. Trump, his two adult sons, and their top associates in the Trump Organization for allegedly deceiving financial institutions with exaggerated claims of his wealth and assets for a period of ten years.
One year after the initial lawsuit, Judge Engoron made a critical pretrial ruling, stating that the defendants were responsible for the fraud accusations presented in the high-profile case. The upcoming trial will decide the amount of compensation that Mr. Trump and his colleagues must pay, as well as the outcome of other allegations in the attorney general’s complaint, such as insurance fraud and conspiracy.
The attorney general’s office is requesting $370 million in “ill-gotten gains” from fraudulent financing terms that banks would have received if they had used rates based on Mr. Trump’s true net worth and assets.
During the initial closing statement from the defense, Mr. Kise contended that the trial actually demonstrated the banks’ satisfaction, the claims were mere speculation, and no wrongdoing had occurred in obtaining the evidence.
The lawyers representing Mr. Trump and his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, consistently argued that the lawsuit was driven by political motives. They also made several negative remarks about Ms. James, who was present in the courtroom with her legal team.
They continuously used language that Mr Trump has employed to criticize the case and his opponents, referring to the possible penalties against him as the “corporate death penalty” and a demonstration of “weaponized” law enforcement.
Mr. Kise stated that these are examples of successful experiences, mentioning the properties owned by Mr. Trump that were targeted by the attorney general’s office for his brand-building. He believes that instead of recognizing Trump for his achievements in business, they are accusing him of a victimless crime, which he finds absurd.
According to him, a ruling against Mr. Trump and his co-defendants would have a significant impact on all businesses in New York, not just Mr. Trump’s.
“This path is highly perilous,” he stated. “The concept of weaponization is often casually mentioned, but in reality, that is precisely what this entails.”
Source: independent.co.uk
