Donald Trump declared today that he would not be testifying in his own defense at the civil fraud trial in New York that poses a significant threat to his real estate empire. In a statement on his social media platform Truth Social, the former president, who was anticipated to take the stand on Monday, asserted, “I have already testified to everything & have nothing more to say other than this is a complete & total election interference (Biden campaign!) witch hunt that will do nothing but keep businesses out of New York.” Trump, 77, unequivocally stated, “I will not be testifying on Monday” in a two-part post.
Scheduled to be one of the final witnesses in his defense against New York Attorney General Letitia James’ allegations of inflating his net worth for better loan and insurance terms, Trump’s decision not to testify marks a significant development. The trial, which has seen heated exchanges during Trump’s previous testimony, is a non-jury case presided over by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron. Trump has attended only eight out of the 42 trial days, although his presence is not mandatory.
During a contentious testimony last month, Trump and his legal team clashed with Justice Engoron. Trump had also briefly taken the stand in October when questioned about potential violations of a limited gag order. Despite Trump’s denial of referring to Engoron’s chief law clerk, he was fined $10,000 on top of a previous $5,000 fine for violating the gag order.
Trump’s son, Eric Trump, who was expected to testify again, also did not take the stand as planned. An expert witness called by Trump’s lawyers, Professor Eli Bartov from New York University, is set to conclude his testimony on Tuesday. Bartov emphasized that there is no evidence of accounting fraud, asserting that James’ case lacks merit. Trump portrayed Bartov’s testimony as a victory for his defense, highlighting the expert’s assertion that he shouldn’t be found liable for fraud.
Throughout the trial, Trump has used media opportunities to attack Engoron, James, and the proceedings, characterizing himself as a victim of a political witch hunt. In a significant pre-trial ruling, Engoron found Trump liable on one of the primary fraud claims by the AG’s office, leading to the revocation of Trump Organization’s business licenses in New York, a decision temporarily halted until the trial concludes. The AG is expected to present a brief rebuttal following Bartov’s testimony, with Engoron likely to render a verdict in late January, shaping the fate of the Trump real estate empire in the state.
{Matzav.com}
