Trump declares ‘this is a scam’ as he re-enters courtroom on day 2 of fraud trial

Former President Donald Trump declared that his trial is a “scam” as he re-entered the courtroom on his second day litigating the case.

Former President Donald Trump declared that his trial is a “scam” as he re-entered the courtroom on his second day litigating the case.

Trump made the comment to reporters as the first recess of the day ended. New York Attorney General Letitia James has charged Trump with fraudulently overvaluing his assets during business negotiations.

Trump’s defense team argues that the Trump organization repeatedly urged partners to conduct their own value assessments of Trump’s properties, however. They have also stated that there are no victims of Trump’s alleged fraud.

“They were paid, made money, there was no fraud. They are all happy. In many pages it says, you must understand, you must do your due diligence.  Do not rely on anything,” Trump said. “This case is a scam. There can’t be fraud when you tell institutions to do their own work.”

Trump is likely to comment further on the case later when Engoron declares a second recess.

Posted by Anders HagstromShare

38 min(s) ago

Trump flashes thumbs up to the cameras as he re-enters court room

Former President Donald Trump flashed a thumbs up to the cameras as he walked past them to return to the Manhattan courtroom where he is on trial for fraud charges Tuesday.

Trump and his lawyers walked in and out the courtroom several times after Judge Arthur Engoron called a lunch recess. Proceedings the set to pick up again at 2:15 Eastern Time.

Trump’s brief interaction with reporters coincided with news that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy may lose his speakership in a House vote. Trump made no indication that he was reacting to the news, however.

Trump supported McCarthy’s bid for the speakership earlier this year and called on Republicans to support him.

Posted by Anders HagstromShare

1 hour(s) ago

Judge Engoron chides Trump defense attorneys over repeated objections ahead of lunch recess

Judge Arthur Engoron appeared to chide former President Donald Trump’s defense attorneys for repeatedly making objctions on Tuesday.

The incident came when Engoron allowed New York Attorney General Letitia James’ prosectors to admit a document that was beyond the statute of limitations for Trump’s fraud trial. The statute of limitations in this instance means Trump cannot be convicted of fraud that may have taken place before 2015.

Prosecutors have nevertheless introduced evidence dating back to 2011. Engoron has allowed them to do so on the condition that they demonstrate it is relevant to an alleged fraud incident within the statute of limitations.

While Engoron has made his stance clear, Trump’s attorneys have chosen to obeject each time prosecutors introduce such a document. They rebuffed Engoron’s remark on the objections as well, telling him they will continue the practice.

Engoron declared a lunch recess until 2:15 p.m. soon after the exchange.

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2 hour(s) ago

Trump blows past press as he exits courtroom for recess

Donald Trump left the courtroom without talking to reporters during the first recess of day 2 of his trial.

Former President Donald Trump brushed past members of the press without stopping to talk as he exited the courtroom for recess on the second day of his fraud trial.

Trump was seen exiting the room followed by his attorney, Alina Habba. New York Attorney General Letitia James and her entourage remained inside the courtroom, however.

Day two of Trump’s fraud trial has centered on the testimony of businessman Donald Bender, who focused on financial records dating back to 2011, which fell outside of the statute of limitations.

Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the non-jury civil trial, said the questioning was a “waste of time” unless James’ office could tie it back to something within the statute of limitations–something James’ office promised to do Tuesday.

Trump’s defense team has objected to prosecutors entering evidence from prior to 2015 due to the statute of limitations. Engoron has said he will continue to allow that evidence to be presented so long as it can be connected to something within the limitations.

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3 hour(s) ago

Trump civil case could harm New York’s status as corporate ‘capital’

Critics say Judge Arthur Engoron’s ruling that former President Donald Trump deceived banks and insurers could endanger the Empire State’s status as a business capital.h

Former Bush Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Yoo said on FOX News Monday that the case could also put Trump “out of business” in the city most synonymous with his real estate empire.

Engoron, a Democrat, ruled prior to Monday’s court date that Trump overvalued assets and exaggerated his net worth, in response to a civil suit by New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James.

Yoo noted that people like Engoron and James, whose roles are established to be more legal than political, are elected partisan offices, and Engoron’s district – which comprises Manhattan – houses mostly Democrats.

“But what people should ask is are what they’re doing in the best interests of the people of the state? Is it a good idea for the state of New York, on behalf of its people, to use its vast law enforcement powers to go after and single out President Trump for things where nobody is claiming they were harmed? No one claims they were actually defrauded,” Yoo said on “America Reports,” adding that no banks appear to claim damages against the former president.

Fox News’ Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

BREAKING NEWS4 hour(s) ago

Trump speaks outside Manhattan courtroom as he arrives for day 2 of trial

Former President Donald Trump arrived at the Manhattan courthouse to face the second day of his trial on fraud charges leveled by New York Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday.

Trump stood outside the courtroom and spoke briefly with reporters before entering. He reiterated his claim that Judge Arthur Engoron handed down an earlier fraud ruling based on false information from James. He called for Engoron to reverse his previous decision, saying that no fraud had taken place and there were no victims of any crime.

He also accused James of political bias against him, referencing her tone on the 2018 campaign trail. She opened an investigation into Trump soon after being elected in 2019.

“She ran on the basis of ‘I’m going to get Trump,'” he said.

Trump will remain at the Manhattan courthouse throughout the day, and he will likely emerge to make further comments during cour recesses.

Posted by Anders HagstromShare

4 hour(s) ago

Prosecutors, defense start arriving to Manhattan courtroom for Trump’s 2nd day on trial

Members of former President Donald Trump’s legal team have begun arriving to the Manhattan courthouse where he will face his second day on trial.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers strolled past packed media cameras in the lobby of the courthouse. They are scheduled to begin arguing before presiding Judge Arthur Engoron at 10 a.m. Eastern Time.

police officers could be seen blocking members of the media from accessing the courtroom itself.

Trump and his attorneys have repeatedly attacked New York Attorney General Leititia James for leveling charges against him. They argue she has targeted Trump for political reasons, citing her promises on the campaign trail in 2018 that she would “get Trump” if elected.

Trump has also labeled Engoron a “Democrat” and an “operative.”

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5 hour(s) ago

Donald Trump says Letitia James is targeting him with ‘rarely used’ and ‘very unfair’ law

Former President Donald Trump said New York Attorney General Letitia James is targeting him with a “rarely used” and “very unfair” law in an attempt to convict him of fraud on Tuesday.

Trump made the claim on his Truth Social account barely an hour before he was scheduled to appear for the second day of his fraud trial in Manhattan. He argues that the law in question allows defendants to be convicted of fraud even if there was no discernable victim of their crime.

“The rarely used Executive Law that the N.Y.A.G. is proceeding under is VERY UNFAIR, and being used against me for that reason. NY Executive Law 63 (12) does not require a victim, traditional elements of fraud are eliminated (the only such law!), the law allows a politically elected partisan prosecutor to convince a politically elected judge, who may be friends, to destroy even a Political Opponent. This law may not be Constitutional and is not FAIR, and that is why terrible A.G. James chose it to use against me!!!” Trump wrote.

The post is only the latest salvo Trump has launched against James and Judge Arthur Engoron, both of whom he has denounced as biased partisans and political opponents.

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5 hour(s) ago

Sean Hannity declares Trump’s Manhattan fraud trial ‘the latest witch hunt’

The ongoing fraud trial against Donald Trump in Manhattan is only the latest “witch hunt” against the former president, Fox News host Sean Hannity says.

Hannity blasted NY Attorney General Letitia James and her team of prosecutors after the first day of the trial concluded on Monday.

“The United States – our justice system – is supposed to investigate crimes, not target people. Those days seem to be long gone. That is a travesty for this country. You might as well take the Constitution and shred it. We don’t have equal justice in application of our laws. Donald Trump has been targeted in a series of cases, starting with the Trump-Russia hoax that we debunked here on this show, and everybody else in the media mob was lying about and peddling conspiracy theories about and by the way, you got all these, you know, for indictment, state, federal level, all perfectly timed. Amazing,” Hannity said.

“They could have done it much earlier, but no, let’s bring it up in the middle of an election season and let’s put them on trial in 2024 and frankly, interfere and disrupt the presidential election. Now, this has never, ever, ever, not once in history, ever happened to this country that a former president had been indicted once, never mind four times,” he added.

Trump is scheduled to return to the Manhattan courthouse for day two of his trial later Tuesday.