Trump attacks the judge in his fraud trial, saying he's 'getting away with murder,' while standing directly outside his courtroom door
Trump appeared in court today to defend himself in a $250 million fraud trial against him and his associates.
Trump accused the Manhattan judge of "getting away with murder" and "interfering with an election."
Attorney General Letitia James has accused Trump and the Trump Organization of widespread fraud.
Donald Trump accused the judge in his $250 million fraud trial of "getting away with murder" while standing directly outside his courtroom door.
The former president appeared in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan on Monday, where Attorney General Letitia James is has sued him over fraud related to misrepresenting his wealth and assets.
During a court lunch break on Monday, Trump made a dramatic speech outside the courtroom door, in which he called the judge overseeing the civil case, Arthur Engoron, a "democrat operative" and "a disgrace to people that call themselves judges."
Last month, Engoron found that Trump did in fact commit much of the fraud that James accused him of, but the trial is needed to determine penalties.
"I hope my lawyers go in and I hope they fight him very hard, cause this guy's getting away with murder," Trump said of Engoron, adding, "He's interfering with an election and it's a disgrace."
Attorney General Letitia James first sued Trump and three of his children — Donald Jr., and Eric Trump — along with several Trump Organization executives last year, asking for $250 million in damages. Ivanka is no longer a defendant in the case.
It's not the first time Trump has exploded at a New York-based official bringing legal action against him.
In April, after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump on criminal charges related to a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels, Trump lashed out, calling Bragg a "racist," saying he should "INDICT HIMSELF."
Trump's campaign later ran attack ads against Bragg based on the case he brought.
In relation to James' lawsuit, Trump's team has questioned the need for the trial, after he was found liable for fraud and his company was dissolved.
At least four of the Trumps — Eric, Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Donald Trump — are expected to take the stand in the trial, as part of the Attorney General's 28-person direct case witness list.
In part, the trial is meant to determine how much of the business fraud Trump and his children was liable for, and how much damages are owed.
James has alleged that between 2016 and 2021, the Trump brothers' banking statements agreed with their father's falsely-inflated annual statements of net worth. The NY Attorney General has claimed that the statements were inflated by close to $3.6 billion.
As it stands, a judge has already found Trump's financial statements from between 2014 to 2021 to be faulty, and the trial will also aim to determine the intent behind the submission of the documents.
The trial is expected to last between two to three months.
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