On November 2, a month into Donald Trump’s state civil trial on charges of fraud, his sons Eric and Don Jr. took the stand in a courthouse in lower Manhattan to defend the family business. Although the brothers are often lumped together, their personal styles are a tale of contrasts. On the first day of the trial, Eric shook the hand of Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the charges against Trump père and is the frequent subject of his vitriol. Don Jr., for his part, told famed courtroom sketch artist Jane Rosenberg to make him look “sexy.”
On the stand, though, they presented a united front, claiming no involvement in the preparation of the Trump Organization’s annual financial statements despite their lofty roles on the company org chart. When Don Jr. was asked if he had played a role in the creation of one apparently fraudulent statement, he said, “I did not. The accountants worked on it. That’s what we pay them for.”
James is seeking a permanent ban on business operations by Trump and his children in New York as well as a $250 million fine. Judge Arthur Engoron has already found Trump and his co-defendants liable for fraud, ruling in September that Trump’s businesses be placed under independent receivers, though that action has been on hold temporarily. (Like James, Engoron has come under heavy fire from Trump on Truth Social: “So sad to see my sons being PERSECUTED in a political Witch Hunt by this out of control, publicity seeking, New York State Judge.”) The current trial is intended to determine additional claims and any potential penalties.
Trump himself is slated to testify on November 6, and his daughter Ivanka is expected to take the stand on November 8. She is not happy about it: She asked for a pause to the trial, claiming an “undue hardship” because she is being asked to testify “in the middle of a school week.” Her claim was denied.
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