Judge Considers Sanctions Against Trump’s Defense Counsel in New York Civil Case
A judge in New York has expressed frustration at Donald Trump’s defense counsel and is considering sanctioning the defendants and their lawyers for making frivolous arguments in the state’s civil case against the former president and others.
Judge Arthur Engoron voiced his frustration, stating, “When I first heard those arguments, I thought that was a joke.” He added that he has repeatedly ruled on and been upheld on some of the arguments that were rehashed by the defense.
“The rule on sanctions is if you’ve been warned, don’t do it. You were warned,” Engoron said firmly.
The defense counsel, Trump attorney Chris Kise, argued, “As a lawyer, I have to make the arguments.”
Earlier in the afternoon, Kise asked the judge to dismiss the case against Trump and the other defendants, claiming that the vast differences in appraisals for Trump’s assets were a common occurrence in complex business transitions. However, Engoron disagreed, stating that the fact that no one was hurt does not mean the case gets dismissed. He argued that “fairness in the marketplace” was a victim of the defendants’ actions.
A lawyer for the New York attorney general’s office described “staggering” misrepresentations about the value of Trump’s properties and assets. The attorney argued that Trump engaged in a prolonged “bait-and-switch” to lower his tax burden while inflating his assets to obtain favorable loan terms.
Engoron intends to issue a single ruling by Tuesday that will decide the three major issues at hand, including the government’s motion for partial summary judgment and the New York Attorney General’s request to impose legal sanctions on the defendants. The ruling could significantly impact the scope of the upcoming $250 million civil trial scheduled to begin on October 2.
The trial will focus on twelve of Trump’s assets, including notable properties like Trump Tower, Mar-a-Lago, 40 Wall Street, and his multiple golf courses. The New York AG’s office alleges that Trump engaged in deceptive practices to inflate their value. Trump’s defense counsel argued that the New York AG cherry-picked appraisals to paint an unfair picture of Trump’s business dealings and emphasized that asset valuation is a subjective process.
Trump has denied all wrongdoing in the case, and his defense is asking the judge to decide the case before trial based on what they argue is a lack of evidence. On the other hand, the AG’s lawyers will ask the judge to find Trump and the other defendants liable for fraud even before a jury starts hearing the evidence.
The trial is currently scheduled to begin on October 2 and is expected to last approximately three months. However, there is a possibility of delay if a state appeals court upholds a last-minute legal challenge by Trump who filed a suit against the judge.