'Akin to a doctor's note': Why Trump’s fraud trial 'stands apart' from his other court battles

16 October 2023

Ex-President Donald Trump and his legal team in New York Attorney General Letitia James' civil fraud trial against him, according to The Daily Beast, "working diligently to repurpose the trial as pretext for a future appeal," and "warping the proceedings into both a fundraising spectacle and an excuse to skip out on his other court dates."

Noting that "this court battle stands apart" from Trump's other legal struggles, "simply for the many ways the former president has managed to drag his feet," the Beast emphasizes, "So far, it's working, as the trial is entering its third week with only half a dozen witnesses having testified."

Per the Beast, the former president "has twisted this bank fraud trial into something akin to a doctor's note," managing to squirm his way out of a potentially devastating deposition in his revenge lawsuit against his former attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen, by showing up to court "during half of the first week at trial."

POLL: Should Trump be allowed to hold office again?

In addition to Trump's attorneys' constant "objecting to anything that even hints at older material, even emails presented by James’ office that make references to the distant past," the report notes the MAGA hopeful's "defense team has also adopted a comically and deliberately irritating tactic" — "asking long-winded questions about each line in each document—and repeating each question for every year from 2011 and beyond."

Furthermore, the lawyers are "warning New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur F. Engoron that each decision he makes will be closely scrutinized by appellate judges—and likely reversed," the Beast notes.

The Beast reports:

Two sources familiar with the situation told The Daily Beast that the former president's lawyers are laser-focused on the appeal at this point, gleefully baiting the judge whenever they can to increase their chances of success at the New York appellate division’s First Judicial Department.

One of those sources noted that Trump, who keeps delivering angry speeches outside the courtroom and maintains a scowl inside the courtroom, has essentially resorted to theatrics to draw public attention to himself. The strategy was described as Machiavellian maneuvering two steps ahead of the Attorney General.

The news outlet notes, referring to Trump's team, James said, “They are playing to an audience of one."

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

From Your Site Articles