NY civil fraud trial goes off the rails as judge 'pounds on the bench' and 'explodes' at Trump lawyer

Justice Arthur Engoron, assigned to New York State Attorney General Letitia James' civil fraud case against Donald Trump and the Trump Organization, has fined the former president for his attacks on law clerk Allison Greenfield — which, according to Engoron, are a violation of a gag order in the case. Trump and his attorneys have been accusing Greenfield of being biased against him, and tensions surrounding Greenfield were, according to Daily Beast reporter Justin Rohrlich, evident in the courtroom on Friday morning, November 3.

Engoron and Trump attorney Chris Kise, Rohrlich reports, clashed over Greenfield. Kise wants her removed from the case; Engoron has adamantly refused his request.

Citing a Breitbart News article claiming anti-Trump bias on Greenfield's part, Kise told the judge the case was "trending in a dangerous area."

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Kise, Rohrlich reports, argued, "The entire country, if not the world, is watching this proceeding. And the U.S. heretofore has been a model for integrity and impartiality in the judicial system, since its founding. Nothing in here should create any appearance that the adherence to those principles has wavered."

Engoron, however, didn't back down, according to Rohrlich. The judge maintained that he had an "absolute unfettered right to get advice" from Greenfield, arguing that there "may be a bit of misogyny" in Kise's criticism of her.

"Relations between Engoron and Trump's team have grown increasingly frosty," Rohrlich observes. "At the end of Thursday's proceedings, Engoron exploded at Kise, pounding on the bench and threatening to expand a gag order to keep Trump's lawyers from attacking court staff."

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The Daily Beast's full report is available at this link (subscription required).