Former President Donald Trump is trying to build a case for mistrial after a "disaster" of a day on the witness stand in his $250 million civil fraud trial, in which he's already been found liable, former federal prosecutor Barbara McQuade argued on MSNBC on Monday.
Part of that, she argued, includes "baiting" Judge Arthur Engoron into misconduct by levying accusations of bias against his clerk.
"I think what they're trying to do is get under the judge's skin in hopes he has a temper tantrum," McQuade said.
McQuade's analysis was prompted by Katy Tur, puzzled by accusations from Trump's team against Engoron's clerk.
Tur noted the bias claim rests on a photo of the law clerk with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) during a time when she was running for an elected position.
"Why are they focused so much on the law clerk?" asked Tur. She later answered her own question: "Right now, they're grasping for anything."
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She then turned to McQuade for clarification, asking, "Is there something legal there that they could potentially use for a mistrial?"
McQuade answered with a resounding no.
"Legally there's no irregularities going on here," McQuade said. "As we heard, judges rely on their clerks all the time for research, analysis, courtroom management ... You know, all kinds of things that they rely on."
McQuade argued an ulterior motive might be a victory for Trump, the leading Republican contender in the 2024 presidential election, in the court of public relations.
"I think they will scream about it just because that's good for P.R.," McQuade said, "but it has no bearing on the trial itself."
Watch the video below or at the link here.
Barbara McQuade on Trump's efforts to bait Judge Arthur Engoron www.youtube.com
