The legal team for the Trumps’ corner — presumably including all of the lawyers on that side — is now under restrictions from the judge in the New York fraud case brought by the state’s Attorney General Letitia James alleging a sweeping, years-long pattern of deception. The alleged fraud hinged on what authorities say were claims of value for various Trump assets that were way, way off-base. An expert witness pinned the estimated losses for financial institutions in (potential) interest income at $168 million across just four Trump properties!
The latest point of contention sparking those restrictions for Trump’s lawyers was their repeated complaining about a clerk for the presiding judge, Arthur Engoron. They specifically singled out private communications — in the form of written messages, meaning notes — that the judge and the clerk had been sharing in court. As relayed by reporting from CNN, the judge has blocked the lawyers (evidently including Alina Habba and Chris Kise) from making further comments about the communications, and he’s prepared to issue consequences if they proceed anyway.
“The judge was saying that he’s not tolerating this any more and that if they violate this order, making any comments about the communications, that there will be serious sanctions,” the CNN journalist said.
Engoron also previously suggested the obsession from the Trumps’ corner with his clerk was related to misogyny, and he rejected an argument that free speech protections under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution should be construed to protect the comments the lawyers have made. Kise, notably, tried to defend himself against accusations of misogyny by pointing to the women in his immediate family… which isn’t exactly foolproof. Just look at easily arguable misogynist Trump himself. Anyway, the ex-president himself will, in fact, take the stand next week in this case, days after two of his adult children also named in the lawsuit — Donald Jr. and Eric — also answered questions.
Judge Arthur Engoron has expanded the gag order in the Trump family civil fraud trial in New York.
Trump’s attorneys are now prohibited from making any further comments, inside or outside of the courtroom, about confidential communications between Engoron and his staff. pic.twitter.com/9X2ntKv73a
— The Recount (@therecount) November 3, 2023
