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Former President Donald Trump delivered an angry attack on the state Supreme Court judge overseeing his case – saying Judge Arthur Engoron should be disbarred and ‘charged criminally’ amid adverse rulings.
Trump blasted the judge for an earlier summary judgement ruling in the case that has him facing potential penalties of $250 million, although his team had sought summary judgement in the case.
‘This is a judge that should be disbarred. This is a judge that should be out of office,’ Trump said.
‘This is a judge that some people say could be charged criminally for what he’s doing. He’s interfering with an election, and it’s a disgrace,’ Trump fumed.
Trump made the extraordinary statement during a lunch break just steps outside the courtroom, with reporters and cameras staked out inside the New York courthouse.
Trump said Judge Arthur Engoron, could be ‘charged criminally’ for his handling of the case
Engoron attended Columbia University, got his law degree from New York University, and worked as a litigator and a law clerk
He repeated a claim that Justice Department officials were pulling the strings in the Empire State, while once again attacking state AG Letitia James, special counsel Jack Smith, and even a clerk he claimed is in Judge Engoron’s ‘ear.’
‘This guy’s getting away with murder. And his clerk should not be allowed to be in his ear with every single question,’ Trump said.
‘You should take a look at her. She hates Trump even more than he does,’ he suggested.
His attacks come despite being warned in unrelated criminal cases about attacks on court personnel.
Smith’s team sought a gag order from U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan by citing many of his previous attacks on prosecutors, even citing his attacks on the judge herself. She also ruled against a motion by Trump’s team that she should recuse herself.
‘Take a look at Jack Smith. Take a look at these people. This is called election interference and worse than that, much worse than that,’ he said.
In the New York case, with massive fines and licensing of parts of his real estate empire on the line, Trump is balancing courtroom strategy with an electoral one, with his poll performance rising despite a series of criminal indictments.
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He called Judge Engoron a ‘Democrat club politician’ and a ‘Democrat operative.’
Engoron attended Columbia University, got his law degree from New York University, and worked as a litigator and a law clerk. In his rulings he has mentioned taking part in a Vietnam War protest and driving a taxi cab, according to an AP profile.
He was elected unopposed to the state Supreme Court.
Trump blasted the judge while standing just steps from his courtroom
Earlier Trump called AG Letitia James ‘racist.’ He called her a ‘disgrace,’ and said in a pre-trial tirade, ‘You ought to go after this attorney general’
Trump tore into special counsel Jack Smith, who has sought a partial gag order in a criminal case against him
Trump also tore into New York AG Letitia James, calling her a ‘disgrace to our country. Take a look at Jack Smith. Take a look at these people,’ he said.
Judge Engoron is barred from hitting back at Trump in the press, although he has decision-making authority in the non-jury trial.
He also erupted over the valuation for Mar-a-Lago that the judge cited in a ruling that Trump inflated assets by $2 billion.
He cited articles quoting real estate experts who were shocked by the low valuations. He then said the private club was worth $1.5 billion.
‘Anybody that does business in New York State is crazy,’ said Trump, who moved his official domicile to Florida.
Trump used the valuations to make his best case with the media. ‘I’ve got a lot of respect for you – not all of you but a lot of you,’ he said.
Asked why he decided to come to court in person, he skipped the trial where he was found liable for sexual abuse of E Jean Carroll, Trump said: ‘Because I want to watch this witch hunt myself.’
