Judge at Trump’s NY Civil Fraud Trial Slams Hand On Bench, Loses His Cool During Testimony: ‘This Is Ridiculous!’

In the midst of Donald Trump’s $250 million civil fraud trial, the Manhattan judge overseeing the case displayed frustration on Wednesday. He pounded his hand on the bench and exclaimed, “This is ridiculous!” as the former president’s legal team rigorously questioned his former accountant, Donald Bender, over inconsistencies in his testimony.

The judge’s exasperation followed allegations from Trump’s side that Bender, a partner at Mazars USA accounting firm, was avoiding their inquiries. Trump’s lawyers insisted on a detailed examination of Trump’s financial records with Bender “year by year,” to which Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron firmly responded, “Don’t waste time.”

Trump’s attorney, Jesus Suarez, dedicated Tuesday afternoon and the entire Wednesday morning to cross-examining Bender, stating his intent to continue the questioning for the rest of the day. Engoron’s frustration led him to exclaim, “This is ridiculous!” and emphasize that Mr. Bender was not on trial.

Christopher Kise, another of Trump’s attorneys, claimed that Bender only seemed to recall information the government wanted him to remember and argued that they needed to thoroughly scrutinize the evidence. Alina Habba, also representing Trump, echoed this sentiment, asserting that they had received no answers from Bender, who appeared to have no memory of the details.

Kise acknowledged their intention to streamline the cross-examination, and the judge reiterated the need to avoid wasting time. During Wednesday’s testimony, the third day of the trial initiated by New York Attorney General Letitia James, Engoron cautioned Trump’s legal team twice more, suggesting they were conducting their defense as if a jury were present.

Trump, who has been attending the trial since its commencement on Monday, expressed frustration by throwing his arms in the air during one of these moments. The judge questioned Kise about who he was addressing—Trump, the press, or the audience—highlighting the absence of a jury.

An attorney from the AG’s Office expressed surprise that Bender’s questioning would continue for the rest of the day, emphasizing the absence of a jury and questioning the audience for their performance.

After the lunch break, Trump left for Florida, where he was heading to Mar-a-Lago, though it remained unclear if or when he would return to court. He had previously stated his willingness to testify if called as a witness. Engoron appeared in a lighter mood post-lunch, making a joke about an attorney’s birthday, but Attorney General James characterized Trump’s presence at the civil trial as a “political stunt” and a “fundraising stop.”

James vowed not to be intimidated by Trump’s personal attacks and affirmed that justice would be served. In the afternoon, the AG’s Office interrupted Bender’s testimony to call another witness, Camron Harris, an auditor at Whitley Penn accounting firm who handled Trump’s books in 2020. Harris testified about the responsibility of the client regarding the statement of financial condition, which James alleges Trump falsified from 2011 to 2021.

Bender resumed his testimony after Harris concluded. Throughout the trial, Trump’s presence led to significant protests outside the courthouse, with demonstrators blocking streets.

Trump has consistently criticized the case, the attorney general, the judge, and even the judge’s clerk in the media and on social platforms. As a result, Engoron issued a limited gag order on Tuesday afternoon.

Prior to entering the courtroom on Wednesday, Trump launched a three-minute tirade against James, accusing her of using the prosecution for political purposes in her gubernatorial bid. He did not rule out the possibility of becoming the next Speaker of the House, following calls from some Republicans after Kevin McCarthy’s ouster.

Leaving the courtroom, Trump continued his tirade, declaring the case to be “rigged.” His legal team filed a notice of appeal against Engoron’s recent ruling, which supported one of the AG’s main claims that Trump should be held liable for fraud, leading to the cancellation of Trump’s business licenses in the state.

The AG’s Office argued that Trump had inflated his assets for years to secure loans, insurance, and to boost his position on Forbes’ billionaire list, from which he has since been removed. Trump’s defense contended that he had repaid all loans taken for the Trump Organization, and banks had profited from his business dealings.

{Matzav.com}