Death Threats And Anti-Semitic Abuse Plague NY Judge, Clerk Amid Trump Civil Fraud Trial

A recent report reveals that a New York judge and his clerk, involved in the civil fraud trial of former President Donald Trump, are on the receiving end of death threats and anti-Semitic abuse following Trump’s online outbursts.

What Happened: According to a report by The Guardian on Tuesday, Judge Arthur Engoron and his clerk, Allison Greenfield, have been inundated with threatening, harassing, and disparaging messages via phone and social media. This wave of abuse came in the wake of a gag order on Trump being lifted by a New York appeals court judge.

Legal representatives for the New York state court system have requested the reinstatement of the gag order on Trump, citing “serious and credible” threats against Engoron and Greenfield. The court filings revealed a series of racially and sexually insulting messages, and several death threats.

Greenfield’s personal contact information was leaked, resulting in her receiving approximately 20-30 calls per day to her personal cellphone and around 30-50 online messages daily, according to court safety official Charles Hollon. Greenfield disclosed that approximately half of the harassing and disparaging messages were anti-Semitic.

The civil fraud case against the Trump Organization was initiated by New York Attorney General, Letitia James, alleging that the organization fraudulently inflated the value of its properties to secure favorable loans. The judgment is currently being appealed by Trump’s lawyers.

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Why It Matters: New York Attorney General Letitia James seeks to uphold a limited gag order on Trump, which was issued by Engoron, citing harassment of the judge’s clerk. the appellate division’s First Department will decide after Trump’s reply on Nov. 27, reported ABC News.

It should be noted that the appellate judge in New York temporarily lifted the gag order in the ongoing civil fraud trial in mid-November while the appeal is under consideration. The judge attributed his decision to the fact that constitutional and statutory rights were at issue.

Meanwhile, the federal appeals court had been deliberating on whether to uphold or modify another gag order, which was originally issued by Judge Tanya Chutkan in October. That order restricted Trump from publicly criticizing any prosecutors, potential witnesses, or court staff involved in the case.

Comments from ex-White House attorney Ty Cobb and former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen have pointed to perils the ex-president faces due to his personality. Cobb warned that Trump’s “narcissism” could land him in jail for violating the gag order, while Cohen suggested that Trump’s frequent criticisms of President Joe Biden reflected his own insecurities.

Photo via Shutterstock.

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