A Manhattan judge on Friday said Donald Trump’s bid for a mistrial in his $250 million civil fraud case was “absolutely without merit” and rejected the argument that law clerks were juries together.
Trump, 77, filed a motion for a mistrial on Wednesday, alleging “excessive” bias by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron in his fraud case and that the judge’s chief law clerk, Allison Greenfield, had undue influence in proceedings.
Greenfield has been seen whispering into the judge’s ear and giving him notes throughout the seven weeks of the trial so far.
“As I explained throughout this trial, my decision is mine and mine alone. There is no ‘joint judgment’ at all,” Engoron wrote in Friday’s decision.
The former president’s lawyer claimed that the fact that Engoron submitted articles about the case in the college newsletter on several occasions and that Greenfield made political contributions to Democratic groups – including those supporting New York Attorney General Letitia James, who prosecuted the case – was evidence that did not reasonable and further about the couple’s bias against Trump.
Donald Trump lost a motion for a mistrial after a judge found his arguments “totally without merit.” via REUTERS Manhattan Judge Arthur Engoron rejected Donald Trump’s bid for a mistrial in the former president’s $250 million fraud case.REUTERS
But Engoron countered that he was not involved in writing the news articles he sent in the email newsletter. He noted that he founded the Wheatley School Alumni Association and said it was “exciting” for him to help other alumni stay “connected and informed” by email.
“It has nothing to do with this matter, much less interfere with it, that I presided fairly, impartially and professionally over the instant dispute, which I have now done for more than three years, and which I intend to do until its conclusion,” he said in his decision.
Engoron said Trump’s argument that Greenfield’s political contributions exceed legal limits is a “red herring.”
Trump filed a motion for a mistrial on Wednesday, claiming the judge was heavily biased against him. via REUTERS
Since Greenfield was running for a judicial seat at the time, most of the money was for the cost of tickets to attend political events, which was deductible from his donations and which put the contribution “well below the annual limit allowed by ethics and law,” Engoron said.
As for any alleged biased decisions from Engoron throughout the trial, the judge said those accusations were also “without merit,” adding, “I support every decision, and they speak for themselves.”
Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba criticized Friday’s decision but said it was not surprising.
Trump has claimed that the judge’s law clerk had unfair influence in the trial, but legal experts said on Friday that all decisions were his.REUTERS
“As expected, today the court refuses to take responsibility for its failure to preside over this case impartially and impartially,” Habba said. “We, however, remain undeterred and will continue to fight for our clients’ right to a fair trial.”
The topic of Greenfield was repeatedly brought up during the trial, and Trump also posted about the law clerk, prompting Engoron to issue a limited gag order preventing Trump and his attorneys from talking about his court staff in public.
Engoron has also fined Trump $15,000, finding he twice violated the order. Trump is in the process of appealing the fine.
An appeals judge Thursday temporarily lifted the gag order, finding it could violate Trump’s constitutional right to free speech — a fact Trump’s side says is all the more pressing because he is the GOP frontrunner in the 2024 presidential election.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
