UPDATED 1:16 PM.
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Donald Trump complained of unfair treatment in defiant and rambling testimony on the witness stand at his New York civil business-fraud trial on Monday, prompting the judge to threaten to cut his testimony short.
Under questioning about his company’s accounting practices, the former U.S. president repeatedly clashed with Judge Arthur Engoron, who is weighing whether to impose hundreds of millions of dollars in fines and other penalties that could hobble the real estate empire that vaulted Trump to prominence.
Engoron warned Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the 2024 election, that he might remove him from the witness stand if he did not answer questions directly.
“Mr Kise, can you control your client?” Engoron asked Trump’s lawyer, Christopher Kise. “This is not a political rally. This is a courtroom.”
Trump often avoided direct answers, instead bragging about his properties and his wealth and questioning the motivations of New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, who brought the case.
“This is a political witch hunt and I think she should be ashamed of herself,” he said.
Amid the fireworks, Trump acknowledged that his company did not provide accurate estimates of the value of apartment towers, golf courses and other assets. New York state lawyers said those values were pumped up to win better financing terms, and Engoron has already ruled that they were fraudulent.
But Trump said many of them, such as his Mar-a-Lago estate and Doral golf course in Florida were undervalued. He acknowledged that his Trump Tower residence in New York and his Seven Springs estate north of the city were overvalued.
He said that should not matter because the estimates included language saying they might not be accurate and banks did not take them seriously.
“You’ve made it important, but it wasn’t,” Trump said of the estimates.
STATE SAYS LENDERS, INSURERS MISLED
New York state lawyers said in their lawsuit that the estimates misled lenders and insurers, earning him $100 million and exaggerating his wealth by $2 billion.
Trump accused legal authorities of paying unduly close attention to his business after he won the 2016 presidential election.
“I’m sure the judge will rule against me because he always rules against me,” he said.
“This is a very unfair trial, very, very unfair and I hope the public is watching,” he added later.
James brushed aside Trump’s attacks ahead of his testimony.
“At the end of the day, the only thing that matters are the facts and the numbers. The numbers, my friends, don’t lie,” James said outside the courthouse.
At one point when Trump was on the stand, Engoron asked Kise to take Trump to the back of the courtroom and “explain the rules.”
“The former and again soon to be president of the United States understands the rules,” Kise responded.
Unlike the four criminal cases Trump faces, this civil trial does not threaten to put him in prison as he mounts a comeback White House bid.
James is seeking $250 million in fines, as well as restrictions that would prevent Trump and his sons Eric and Donald Jr. from doing business in their home state.
Engoron has issued a ruling that could strip Trump’s control of some of his best known properties, though that order is on hold during appeal.
TROPHY PROPERTIES IN SPOTLIGHT
Evidence introduced at trial so far has revealed that Trump Organization officials, including Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Jr., tried to manipulate the assessed value of trophy properties including Mar-a-Lago.
One witness, his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, testified that Trump directed him to doctor financial statements to boost his net worth.
In testimony last week, Trump’s sons said they were unfamiliar with the details of the valuation documents. Trump made that argument as well, saying accountants and others working for him were responsible. Asked who at the company was responsible for preventing fraud, the elder Trump said: “Um, everybody.”
Engoron has fined Trump $15,000 for twice violating a limited gag order that prevents him from criticizing court staff. Trump’s lawyers have chafed at that order and indicated they might use it as the basis for an appeal, but Engoron expanded it on Friday to cover them as well.
Trump’s crowded legal calendar threatens to take him off the campaign trail for much of next year.
Republican voters do not seem to be bothered by his legal woes, as opinion polls show he holds a commanding lead in the party’s presidential nominating contest.
The trial was originally scheduled to run through early December but could wrap up sooner as the state calls its final witnesses this week. It is unclear how many witnesses the defense will call.
Trump’s daughter Ivanka is due to testify on Wednesday, though she is not a defendant in the case.
(Reporting by Jack Queen and Luc Cohen; Additional reporting and writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone, Lisa Shumaker and Grant McCool)
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UPDATED: 9:10 A.M.
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Donald Trump was sworn in to testify on Monday in a New York civil fraud trial that threatens to diminish the real estate empire that built his reputation before he entered politics.
The former U.S. president, like his two adult sons who testified last week, will likely face pointed questions about the questionable accounting practices that Judge Arthur Engoron has already ruled to be fraudulent.
New York state lawyers argue that those methods enabled him to win favorable financing terms by pumping up the value of his golf courses, apartment towers and other assets at a time when many lenders refused to do business with him. They say such activity earned him $100 million and exaggerated his wealth by $2 billion.
Trump has repeatedly said the case is a politically motivated “witch hunt.” On Monday he criticized Engoron and New York Attorney General Letitia James on social media and said outside the courtroom that the case was an effort to undercut his 2024 presidential bid.
“It’s political warfare as you would call it, or political lawfare,” he said as he entered the courtroom.
James brushed aside the comments.
“At the end of the day, the only thing that matters are the facts and the numbers. The numbers, my friends, don’t lie,” James said outside the courthouse.
Unlike the four criminal cases the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination faces, this civil trial does not threaten to put him in prison as he mounts a comeback White House bid.
FUNDRAISING PITCH
Indeed, Trump has been leaning into the experience, using it to solicit campaign donations and argue that he is being targeted for his political views.
But it could undercut Trump’s image, cultivated over decades, as a glamorous billionaire who shuttles between elegant resorts and premium golf courses that bear his name.
James is seeking $250 million in fines, as well as restrictions that would prevent Trump and his sons Eric and Donald Jr from doing business in their home state.
Engoron has already canceled business certificates for companies that control large portions of his business, though that order is on hold during appeal.
Evidence introduced at trial so far has revealed that company officials, including Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Jr., were involved in efforts to manipulate the assessed value of trophy properties like the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
One witness, his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, testified that Trump directed him to doctor financial statements to boost his net worth.
Trump’s anger has been clear throughout.
Though his presence until today has not been required in court, he has already appeared several times to glower at the proceedings from the defendant’s table and complain about the case to TV cameras outside the chamber.
That has earned him fines of $15,000 for twice violating a limited gag order that prevents him from criticizing court staff. Trump’s lawyers have chafed at that order and indicated they might use it as the basis for an appeal, but Engoron expanded it on Friday to cover them as well.
Trump’s crowded legal calendar threatens to take him off the campaign trail for much of next year.
His election campaign has used the trial as a fundraising opportunity, writing at the outset on Oct. 2 that he was defending his family and reputation from New York Democrats it called “corrupt tyrants.”
Republican voters do not seem to be bothered by his legal woes, as polls show he holds a commanding lead in the party’s presidential nominating contest.
The trial was originally scheduled to run through early December but could wrap up sooner as the state calls its final witnesses this week. It is unclear how many witnesses the defense will call.
Trump’s daughter Ivanka is due to testify on Wednesday, though she is not a defendant in the case.
(Additional reporting by Andy Sullivan; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone, Nick Zieminski and Lisa Shumaker)
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Donald Trump returns to a New York courtroom on Monday, where he will take the witness stand in a civil fraud trial that threatens to diminish the real-estate empire that built his reputation before he entered politics.
The former U.S. president, like his two adult sons who testified last week, will likely face pointed questions about the questionable accounting practices that a judge has already ruled to be fraudulent.
New York state lawyers argue that those methods enabled him to win favorable financing terms by pumping up the value of his golf courses, apartment towers and other assets at a time when many lenders refused to do business with him. They say such activity earned him $100 million and exaggerated his wealth by $2 billion. Trump has denied wrongdoing.
Unlike the four criminal cases the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination faces, this civil trial does not threaten to put him in prison as he mounts a comeback White House bid.
Indeed, Trump has been leaning into the experience, using it to solicit campaign donations and argue that he is being targeted for his political views.
But it could undercut Trump’s image, cultivated over decades, as a glamorous billionaire who shuttles between elegant resorts and premium golf courses that bear his name.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking $250 million in fines, as well as restrictions that would prevent Trump and his sons Eric and Donald Jr from doing business in their home state.
Judge Arthur Engoron has already canceled business certificates for companies that control large portions of his business, though that order is on hold during appeal.
Evidence introduced at trial so far has revealed that company officials, including Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Jr, were involved in efforts to manipulate the assessed value of trophy properties like the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
One witness, his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, testified that Trump directed him to doctor financial statements to boost his net worth.
Trump’s anger has been clear throughout.
Though his presence until today has not been required in court, he has already appeared several times to glower at the proceedings from the defendant’s table and complain to TV cameras outside the chamber that Engoron, James and others involved in the case are motivated by politics. He has also kept up a steady stream of criticism on social media.
That has earned him fines of $15,000 for twice violating a limited gag order that prevents him from criticizing court staff. Trump’s lawyers have chafed at that order and indicated they might use it as the basis for an appeal, but Engoron expanded it on Friday to cover them as well.
Trump’s crowded legal calendar threatens to take him off the campaign trail for much of next year.
His election campaign has used the trial as a fundraising opportunity, writing at the outset on Oct. 2 that he was defending his family and reputation from New York Democrats it called “corrupt tyrants.”
Republican voters do not seem to be bothered by his legal woes, as polls show he holds a commanding lead in the party’s presidential nominating contest.
The trial was originally scheduled to run through early December but could wrap up sooner as the state calls its final witnesses this week. It is unclear how many witnesses the defense will call.
Trump’s daughter Ivanka is due to testify on Wednesday, though she is not a defendant in the case.
(Reporting by Jack Queen; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone and Nick Zieminski)
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