Trump To Stand As Final Defense Witness In His New York Fraud Trial

Donald Trump, the former U.S. President, is anticipated to be the concluding defense witness in a $250 million civil fraud trial that could potentially shake up his business empire.

What Happened: According to a report by CNBC, Trump is slated to testify on Dec. 11, in a case spearheaded by New York Attorney General Letitia James. She alleges Trump and his co-defendants, including his son Eric Trump, of inflating assets for financial advantages. Eric Trump is expected to testify on Dec. 6.

Previously, Trump and his sons, all defendants in this case, have refuted any misconduct under oath. Trump, who is campaigning for the 2024 Presidential election, has termed the case as a “witch hunt” and has accused James, the presiding judge, and his principal law clerk of political bias.

The case has seen Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron place gag orders to restrict Trump from making public statements about the ongoing proceedings. This comes as the court has been dealing with a flood of threatening and harassing messages during the trial.

See Also: Judge In Trump’s Classified Documents Case Has ‘Certainly Taken Her Time To Litigate Things,’ Says Former CIA Lawyer

Trump’s legal team is currently attempting to convince a New York appeals court to not uphold Engoron’s imposed gag orders, arguing that Trump should not be held accountable for threats issued by others.

Security concerns have been heightened due to threatening and disparaging comments targeted at the judge’s law clerk, following Trump’s social media posts. These threats have been verified as serious and credible by the New York Court System’s Department of Public Safety.

Judge Engoron has imposed two fines on Trump for violating the gag order, with the penalties amounting to $15,000.

Why It Matters: The legal team of Trump has faced criticism for their efforts to fight against the gag order, with former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance calling their arguments a “tired and laughable effort to shirk blame” in her ‘Civil Discourse’ email newsletter.

The civil fraud trial has witnessed emotional testimonies from former Trump Organization executives. Jeffrey McConney, a long-standing employee of the Trump Organization, broke down during his testimony, stating he “gave up” on his job due to the company's ongoing legal challenges.

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