Former President Donald Trump took the witness stand in a New York courtroom Monday, testifying in a high-stakes $250 million civil fraud case that could lead to the dismantling of his sprawling business empire.
Trump was sworn in shortly after the court was called in session and was soon ranting about the lawyer questioning him from state Attorney General Letitia James’ office.
“You and every other Democrat … coming after me from 15 different sides … all haters,” Trump complained to his questioner, Kevin Wallace.
Trump is testifying before state Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron — who he has repeatedly mocked on his social media platform, Truth Social. In recent days, he has posted that Engoron is “crazy, totally unhinged, and dangerous" and a “Trump hating judge” who is a “disgrace to the legal profession.” In one post, he said Engoron “should be thrown off the ‘Bench’ as a giant Embarrassment to New York State!”
Trump wasted little time mixing it up with the judge from the stand as well. After the judge chided him for giving non-responsive answers, Trump said “The judge will rule against me because he will always rule against me.” The judge said that comment was not true, and asked Trump to “please answer the question. You can attack me all you want but just answer the question.” After more tangents, he told Trump’s lawyers “I beseech you to control” him. “This is not a political rally,” he said.
You have to remember that this really is not a trial. No questions of fact are at issue. The defense has conceded that Trumps corporation has, in fact, commited fraud and it’s been proven by their contradictory filings.
The trial is only to assign how much Trump is personally liable for and whether it will require prison time.
So far the Trump kids have admitted to enough for their part to be prison and massive fines and there’s enough documentation to hold Cheetolini responsible enough for the same.
Not that he’ll serve a single day tho. Meal team six would show up and try to take him out by force, until anyone with actual training shoots one of them at least.
So much of this is wrong.
The defense didn’t concede that they had committed fraud, the judge made a summary judgement that they did based on the evidence presented by the AG.
The trial isn’t just about determining the penalty on the fraud finding, there are also six further claims from the AG that the judge didn’t offer a summary judgement on; these claims are being adjudicated at the trail. Criminal penalties, such as jail time, are not a possible consequence of this civil trial; only civil penalties may result.
If Don Jr. and Eric opened themselves up to criminal liability while they were on the stand that would have to be determined at a separate criminal trial.