Did Trump Win the Day in Court?
A combative Donald Trump testifies in $250 million civil fraud trial
Trump takes stand in civil trial targeting his New York empire
Trump, Engoron trade jabs during former president’s testimony in civil trial stemming from NYAG lawsuit
LEGAL ANALYST/AUTHOR: John O’Connor, is author of Postgate: How the Washington Post Betrayed Deep Throat, Covered Up Watergate, and Began Today’s Partisan Advocacy Journalism and host of The Mysteries of Watergate Podcast. He served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Northern California representing the United States in both criminal and civil cases.
“I became president because of my brand,” he said under questioning from Kevin Wallace, a lawyer for the New York attorney general’s office which brought the case.
At one point, the judge complained that Trump’s responses were too long to what were “yes” or “no” questions.
“Please, just answer the questions, no speeches,” Engoron said before asking one of Trump’s lawyers to “control your client.”
“This is not a political rally,” the judge said.
Before taking the stand, Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, spoke to reporters outside the courtroom, denouncing the case as “election interference.”
“It’s a very sad situation for our country,” he said. “It usually takes place in third world countries and banana republics.”
‘Numbers, my friends, don’t lie’
New York state Attorney General Letitia James told reporters before Trump’s arrival that the real estate tycoon “consistently misrepresented and inflated the value of his assets.”
“Before he takes the stand, I am certain that he will engage in name-calling and taunts and race-baiting and call this a witch hunt,” James said. “But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters are the facts and the numbers.
“And numbers, my friends, don’t lie.”
Trump has repeatedly attacked James, who is Black, as “racist” and Engoron, calling the judge “unhinged” and a “Trump-hating radical left, Democrat operative.”
Engoron has responded by slapping Trump with $15,000 in fines for violating a partial gag order imposed after he bashed the judge’s clerk on social media.
Trump’s testimony follows that of his sons Don Jr. and Eric, who took the stand last week and blamed accountants for the financial statements of the company.
According to The Washington Post, the last former president to testify publicly as a defendant was Theodore Roosevelt, who took the stand during a 1915 libel trial.
Trump has already given testimony twice in connection with this case, both times in depositions behind closed doors.
PLUG BOOK: Postgate: How the Washington Post Betrayed Deep Throat, Covered Up Watergate, and Began Today’s Partisan Advocacy Journalism
BIO: John O’Connor is an experienced trial lawyer, practicing law in San Francisco since 1972. He has tried cases in state and federal court throughout the country. He served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Northern California from 1974-1979, representing the United States in both criminal and civil cases. Among his interesting assignments have been representation of the government during the OPEC oil embargo of the 1970s; writing Fifth Amendment and “state of mind” briefs for the prosecution in United States v. Patricia Hearst; representing the FDIC, FSLC and RTC during the savings and loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s; representing California Attorney General Dan Lungren in campaign-related litigation; defending R.J. Reynolds Tobacco in significant smoking and health litigation; representing Coach Don Nelson in litigation with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban; and representing W. Mark Felt regarding the revelation of his identity as Deep Throat.
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