With the testimony of Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump concluded in the $250 million financial fraud trial being conducted in Judge Arthur Engoron's New York courtroom, former Department of Justice official Harry Litman told an MSNBC host that it was a bruising week for the Trump family — and things don't look like they will get much better on Monday when the trial reconvenes.
Speaking with host Chris Jansing, the legal analyst suggested that the entire Trump family, whose fortunes are tied up in the beleaguered Trump Organization, likely realize the trial is not going their way.
According to Litman, Trump's lawyers arguing minor points with Engoron over passing notes with his chief aide is a sign that they know the case is a lost cause and they are trying to pull together enough ammo to use in an inevitable appeal, since Engoron has already ruled in a summary judgment that they are liable for fraud.
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"I think it shows it was a bruising week for the Trumps," Litman explained. "It's gone quite badly and I think they're anticipating getting clobbered by Engoron, and they're trying to create an appellate record wherever they can."
Elaborating, he added, "They'll try to say on appeal, 'Oh, look, he relied on her [law clerk Allison Greenfield], and she was biased against me,' but the short answer to that is so what? Judges rely on law clerks however they like, and I think it shows that [Trump attorney Christopher] Kise really has very little to go on and that he's trying to make hay with this pretty weak claim."
MSNBC 11 03 2023 13 05 40 youtu.be
