Posted on 01/11/24
| News Source: The Hill
Closing arguments in former President Trump’s New York civil fraud trial are underway Thursday morning as the leading 2024 GOP front-runner once again briefly departs the campaign trail for another courtroom appearance.
The former president is front row as his legal team and state lawyers make their final case in a matter in which the attorney general is asking for Trump to be barred from New York’s real estate business and force him to pay nearly $370 million in penalties for falsifying financial records.
Trump launched into an unexpected attack on the New York attorney general after his lawyer again asked the judge to let the former president speak during his defense’s closing arguments.
Former President Trump gave unexpected remarks inside the courtroom Thursday, slamming the New York attorney general and her civil fraud case against him in a statement to the court.
“The person in the room right now,” he said, referring to New York Attorney General Letitia James, “hates Trump and wants to stop Trump from getting elected.”
“This is a fraud on me,” Trump said. “What’s happened here, sir, is a fraud on me.”
Trump’s statement came after his lawyer, Chris Kise, asked the court to reconsider his decision to allow the former president to speak. Judge Arthur Engoron asked Trump whether he could contain his statement to “relevant” material, and Trump launched into the speech.
“I think this case goes outside of just the facts,” Trump said, adding that his financial statements were “perfect,” there were no witnesses “against us,” and that the banks are “as happy as can be.”
“This is a political witch hunt,” he said. “We should receive damages … for what they’ve taken this company through.”