Angry Judge Abuses Power, Takes Trump’s Rights

On Thursday, Donald Trump made his appearance for the concluding arguments in his civil fraud trial in New York, despite reports of a bomb threat at the residence of Judge Arthur Engoron, who recently prohibited the former president from delivering his own closing statements. The bomb threat at Judge Engoron’s Long Island home did not cause any disruptions in the proceedings. Trump, a significant contender in the Republican presidential race, has consistently lambasted Judge Engoron, alleging in a social media post on Wednesday that the judge was closely collaborating with the New York attorney general to subvert him.

Upon entering the courtroom, Trump expressed discontent, contending that the judge was hindering him from presenting his summation due to political interference. Despite Trump’s aspirations to address the court, his attorney refrained from raising the issue and proceeded with the concluding argument.

Earlier on Thursday, authorities responded to a “swatting incident” at Judge Engoron’s residence, yet no signs of danger were discovered. This incident followed a fabricated emergency call reporting a shooting at the domicile of the judge overseeing Trump’s Capitol attack case in Washington, D.C., adding to a sequence of deceptive reports targeting homes of public officials.

The trial revolves around accusations that Trump inflated his wealth on financial statements provided to various entities. Christopher Kise, Trump’s legal representative, argued during the closing statement that no witness had attested to fraud during the 44 days of the trial. Letitia James, the New York Attorney General, a Democrat, is seeking $370 million in penalties, while Trump upholds his innocence, asserting that external accountants should have detected discrepancies.

Judge Engoron had earlier rebuffed Trump’s proposal to deliver his own closing remarks, insisting that he adhere to “relevant” matters. Despite Trump’s recurrent appearances in the courtroom throughout the trial, the judge made no allusion to the incident at his residence.

In the ongoing legal and political hurdles, Trump also attended court in Washington, D.C., for appellate court arguments related to charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election. James initiated the lawsuit in 2022 under state law, alleging persistent fraud in Trump’s business dealings. Engoron, who presided over the trial, aims to reach a decision by the end of the month, indicating in a prior ruling his inclination to find Trump liable on certain claims.