New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking a December deadline for a judicial response to former President Trump’s motion for a mistrial in his highly publicized civil fraud case. Trump’s legal team filed the motion on Wednesday, citing Judge Arthur Engoron’s past social media posts on an alumni page for Wheatley School. The posts seemed to reference the case, as well as Trump and his family members. Trump’s lawyers, Clifford Robert and Alina Habba, argue that the evidence of apparent and actual bias is substantial and overwhelming.
Trump has been making numerous appearances in court over the past few weeks to defend the Trump Organization, as James has leveled fraud charges against him and his two adult sons, who are co-defendants in the case. The Trump Organization’s New York business license is at risk due to these charges. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing and claims that his assets were undervalued. He has also emphasized that his financial statements had disclaimers, requesting banks to evaluate the numbers.
In response to Trump’s motion for mistrial, Letitia James filed a letter to Judge Engoron on Thursday, urging him to reply to the Trump legal team’s motion by December 8th. James dismisses the claims made in the letter as “spurious allegations.”
Letitia James has been outspoken in her opposition to Trump and had campaigned on prosecuting him before becoming attorney general. However, she denies that her charges against him are politically motivated.
The civil fraud trial has garnered significant attention, with Trump taking the stand to testify. The case has put Trump’s financial dealings under scrutiny and has the potential to impact his future business ventures. The mistrial motion adds another layer of complexity to the proceedings, as Trump’s legal team argues that the judge’s past social media posts indicate bias.
The outcome of this trial could have far-reaching implications for Trump’s reputation and financial standing. As the December deadline for the judicial response approaches, the case will continue to be closely watched by supporters and critics alike.
Contributors to this report include Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn, Brooke Singman, and Maria Paronich. Timothy Nerozzi is the writer for Digital. He can be followed on Twitter @timothynerozzi or reached via email at [email protected]. For the latest updates on the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews, and more political content, subscribe to our newsletter.
