Judge sides with Trump attorneys and allows extended testimony on history of Trump Org
In a surprising turn of events, Judge Arthur Engoron has sided with Donald Trump’s attorneys in allowing extended testimony on the history of the Trump Organization in the civil fraud trial of former President Donald Trump and his children at New York Supreme Court.
The decision overruled an objection from the New York attorney general’s office to admit a PowerPoint presentation showcasing the history of the Trump Organization. Donald Trump Jr. walked through the history of the company, going all the way back to his great grandfather, who he says created hotels for miners during the gold rush in the Yukon territory in Canada.
The presentation, titled “The Trump Story,” included photos of Donald Trump with his father, Fred Trump, as well as sleek photos of various Trump buildings. It also featured Trump’s purchase of Mar-a-Lago in 1985, which Trump Jr. described as “one of the few sort of American castles.”
Although the assistant attorney general objected to the presentation, claiming the text descriptions were coaching the witness, Engoron allowed it, stating “Objection is overruled. Let him go ahead and talk about how great the Trump Organization is.”
This decision comes after weeks of rejecting objections from Trump’s lawyers during the attorney general’s presentation. The judge’s willingness to give leeway to both sides in their presentation has signaled a shift in the trial proceedings.
The decision to allow extended testimony on the history of the Trump Organization is likely to have a significant impact on the outcome of the trial and has drawn attention to the judge’s willingness to give both sides a fair opportunity to present their case.