(DCWatchdog.com) – Donald Trump unleashed a barrage of criticism directed at the judge presiding over his civil fraud trial, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and his former attorney Michael Cohen, whom he accused of “massive perjury.”
Trump expressed his dissatisfaction on his social media platform, Truth Social, denouncing Judge Arthur F. Engoron for imposing a $10,000 fine on him for breaching a gag order.
He described Cohen’s courtroom demeanor as “collapsing and choking under cross-examination,” asserting that Cohen ultimately conceded Trump’s innocence.
Trump’s statement further accused Cohen of “MASSIVE PERJURY, at a level seldom seen on the stand before” and condemned the continuation of the case as a “complete [and] total miscarriage of justice.”
He labeled the situation a “RIGGED CASE” and portrayed Judge Engoron as “a tyrannical and unhinged Trump-Hating Judge,” accusing him of “judicial misconduct.” Trump also accused Attorney General James of “prosecutorial misconduct.”
Meanwhile, in the courtroom, the atmosphere was tense as Trump’s attorneys, Christopher Kise and Alina Habba, cross-examined Cohen, who is a witness for the state of New York in James’ $250 million lawsuit alleging inflation of net worth by Trump, his sons, and the Trump Organization. Trump has consistently denied these allegations, attributing political motives to the Democrats to thwart his 2024 presidential bid.
During the proceedings, a verbal altercation erupted between Kise and the attorney general’s office lawyer, Colleen Faherty. Faherty’s interruptions during Habba’s questioning of Cohen led to Kise questioning the respect owed to the state’s legal team, highlighting his own extensive legal experience, including arguing cases before the Supreme Court. He mentioned previous attempts by the attorney general’s office to sanction him.
The tension was further heightened as Engoron threatened “serious sanctions” against Trump’s legal team due to Trump’s social media posts, which verged on violating a gag order.
In his testimony, Cohen claimed he lied to Congress under Trump’s direction for his benefit. He admitted to manipulating financial statements at Trump’s behest. However, Trump lambasted Cohen’s testimony as a series of lies.
Journalist Jose Pagliery reported that Cohen’s new testimony might have exposed him to perjury charges, especially as he attempted to recant his earlier guilty plea for tax evasion. The defense deemed this perjury, while the state dismissed it as mere “showmanship.”
Trump’s fiery reaction and the heated exchanges in the courtroom underscore the intense scrutiny and controversy surrounding this high-profile civil fraud trial.
