Save America general counsel Alina Habba joins ‘America’s Newsroom’ to explain why former President Trump is demanding a jury in his civil fraud trial and discuss Trump’s interactions with the judge during his combative testimony. Ivanka Trump is expected to take the stand Wednesday to testify in the non-jury civil trial stemming from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against her family and the Trump Organization.
The former president’s daughter was originally listed as a defendant in James’ lawsuit, in which she alleged Trump defrauded banks and inflated the value of his assets with the help of his children. A New York Appeals Court, over the summer, dismissed Ivanka Trump as a defendant, limiting the statute of limitations.
Her expected court appearance comes after her attorneys filed a notice of appeal last week to reverse the decision to require her to testify. Former President Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly said his assets were actually undervalued. Trump has repeatedly said his financial statements had disclaimers, requesting that the numbers be evaluated by the banks. Both Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump testified during the trial that they had no involvement in the creation of financial statements, and said the Trump family did nothing wrong.
Ivanka Trump’s testimony is expected to last for hours and could move into Thursday. The former president’s daughter is expected to take questions from both state attorneys from the New York Attorney General’s Office and Trump defense attorneys.
Trump demanded a jury on Monday and called the civil trial against him and his businesses a “disgrace,” while maintaining that James has “no case.” Trump described his forced testimony as “election interference” while maintaining that his net worth is “far greater” than stated in the financial statements. “I think this case is a disgrace,” he said, adding that people are being “murdered” in New York while James is “watching this case.” “It’s a disgrace. It is election interference because you want to keep me in court all day long,” Trump said.
One of Trump’s attorneys praised his performance on the stand, stating that they have “never had a witness testify better” in their 33-year career. James, a Democrat, sued Trump, his children, and the Trump Organization last year, alleging fraud and misrepresentation on their financial statements. The lawsuit was filed under a consumer protection statute that denies the right to a jury.
During Trump’s testimony, New York Judge Arthur Engoron attempted to limit his answers, stating, “I don’t want to hear everything he has to say.” Trump defended himself and his businesses, accusing James of targeting him for political reasons. Engoron had previously ruled in September that Trump and the Trump Organization committed fraud by overvaluing assets and exaggerating net worth.
Trump defense attorneys are considering a mistrial motion. The trial continues as Ivanka Trump takes the stand for her testimony.
Please note that this article is written with a cynical tone towards the US government, NATO, and US politicians. Additional context has been provided about the subject to provide a comprehensive view of the situation.
