Former President Donald Trump had a lot to say to Judge Arthur Engoron on the final day of his civil business fraud trial on Thursday. The GOP presidential candidate totally slammed the judge even though he had been barred from speaking at that hearing the previous day.
Trump Slams Judge In Courtroom During Civil Business Fraud Trial After Being Barred From Speaking https://t.co/qZKMc9K4C5 pic.twitter.com/1IDjf3ZZ97
— Daily Wire News (@DailyWireNews) January 11, 2024
Engoron had told one of Trump’s attorneys on Wednesday that since he did not hear from Trump by the noon of that day, which was “the third extended deadline,” he “assumes” that Trump will not comply with the limits he imposed as a condition to getting a chance to give a closing argument.
“…Therefore, he will not be speaking in court tomorrow,” Engoron stated.
However, Trump was able to speak up the next day after one of his attorneys asked the judge if the former president could speak and the judge asked if he would keep to the limits given earlier.
“If I let you speak, do you promise to stick to the law and the facts,” he asked, but Trump did not respond, going on to make his speech.
In a speech that went on for six minutes, per the Associated Press, Trump began, saying that the entire case is “a fraud” on him.
“This is a fraud on me. What’s happened here, sir, is a fraud on me,” he stated, prompting Engoron to tell the defense attorneys, “Control your client.”
However, Trump went on, saying, “We have a situation where I am an innocent man. I’m being persecuted by someone running for office and I think you have to go outside the bounds.”
In the speech, Trump reportedly slammed both Engoron and New York Attorney General Letitia James, before the judge cut him off to adjourn for lunch.
Trump was also able to pour out his mind before entering the courtroom, as he told reporters that the trial is “election interference at the highest level” and political witchhunt planned by President Joe Biden and the White House.
“It is indeed a terrible witchhunt. As you know, I want to speak, I want to give a summation. At this moment, the judge is not letting me make the summation because I’ll bring up things that he doesn’t want to hear. It’s a very unfair trial. Nobody has ever seen anything like this,” he said with his lawyers beside him.
