Read on Twitter
It's a beautiful Monday morning in NYC. There's quite a crowd outside the courthouse.
Donald Trump is expected to show up for the first day of his bank fraud trial.
The judge has already given his real estate empire the corporate death sentence.
Stay up to date @thedailybeast.
Donald Trump is expected to show up for the first day of his bank fraud trial.
The judge has already given his real estate empire the corporate death sentence.
Stay up to date @thedailybeast.
"Trump lies all the time."
Were now in the civil division's historic Courtroom 300, where Justice Arthur F. Engoron will be sitting in front of a 30' large fresco painting depicting American colonial settlers in court.
Cops, bailiffs, Secret Service everywhere.
Cops, bailiffs, Secret Service everywhere.
New York Attorney General Letitia James just walked into the courtroom.
For those wondering, the walls are covered in a painting by Andrew T. Schwartz depicting the meeting of the first popular law court of New Netherland in New Amsterdam--and the 1664 transfer of this storied land from the Dutch to the English.
So, the origins of NYC.
So, the origins of NYC.
Why is Trump here in person? He doesn't have to be.
Context: He cited this as his excuse for skipping out on 2 deposition days in his federal case against ex-lawyer Michael Cohen.
If he didn't show up, he'd be in contempt of court.
Expect him to be here today *and* tomorrow.
Context: He cited this as his excuse for skipping out on 2 deposition days in his federal case against ex-lawyer Michael Cohen.
If he didn't show up, he'd be in contempt of court.
Expect him to be here today *and* tomorrow.
Trump walked into court at 10:07. He looks angry as hell.
Justice Engoron starts with humor, as usual. "Weeks ago, I said we would start today 'come hell or high water.’ Meteorologically speaking, we’ve had the high water."
Here's the story so far. Trump slowly shuffled into the courtroom, dragging his feet with an angry scowl on his face.
This is the first time he's sharing the room with Justice Engoron, whom he's railed against online.
thedailybeast.com/a-pissed-off-t…
This is the first time he's sharing the room with Justice Engoron, whom he's railed against online.
thedailybeast.com/a-pissed-off-t…
Trump's 2024 campaign spokesman Steven Cheung and senior adviser Jason Miller are also in the courtroom. They're sitting on the sidelines.
Kevin Wallace at the AG's office just wrapped up opening statements.
Chris Kise is now up for Trump's side.
Chris Kise is now up for Trump's side.
Odd start, with Kise asserting the very same points this judge dismissed outright last week.
The ideas that:
1. these are private business deals that need not be scrutinized this way
2. Trump's bogus disclaimers on financial statements were legit disclosures to banks
The ideas that:
1. these are private business deals that need not be scrutinized this way
2. Trump's bogus disclaimers on financial statements were legit disclosures to banks
I've said this before. Kise sounds like Jeff Goldblum. Tone, cadence and all.
After a brief break, Trump lawyer Alina Habba is now presenting. And it's full of her signature flair.
Judge: "How are you?"
Alina Habba: "Well, we’ve been doing this for three years."
Hoo boy.
Judge: "How are you?"
Alina Habba: "Well, we’ve been doing this for three years."
Hoo boy.
Habba: "I just want to remind everyone that Ms. James said she was going to come into the Attorney General's Office and 'get Trump.'”
She says she looks forward to grilling Michael Cohen on the stand, calling him "a convicted felon, he’s a liar."
She says she looks forward to grilling Michael Cohen on the stand, calling him "a convicted felon, he’s a liar."
Now she's chiding the judge's own law clerk, saying something along the lines of, "Now before Ms. Greenfield gives you a note..."
“The value is what someone is willing to pay. The Trump properties are Mona Lisa properties.”
This might be the first time Alina Habba is presenting in court in front of her client, Trump. She's bringing the same fire that she displays while speaking on rightwing news outlets.
This might be the first time Alina Habba is presenting in court in front of her client, Trump. She's bringing the same fire that she displays while speaking on rightwing news outlets.
Habba is invoking "the American people" quite a bit, so you can tell her who intended audience is.
"Anyone who plays golf knows, Doral is one of the best golf courses in the country. I've had the pleasure of playing there..."
"Mar-a-Lago can sell for a billion dollars."
"Anyone who plays golf knows, Doral is one of the best golf courses in the country. I've had the pleasure of playing there..."
"Mar-a-Lago can sell for a billion dollars."
Habba:
Trump is "the president."
The Trump Organization is "that beautiful company."
This case presents "a very dangerous time in our country and in this state."
Trump is "the president."
The Trump Organization is "that beautiful company."
This case presents "a very dangerous time in our country and in this state."
Justice Engoron and Habba are now in a full-on argument. She's bringing up her past issues with his decisions, and he's shutting her down.
As usual, with some embarrassing corrections:
"You referred to Wallace’s presentation as testimony. Opening statements are not testimony."
As usual, with some embarrassing corrections:
"You referred to Wallace’s presentation as testimony. Opening statements are not testimony."
Engoron notes that he previously rejected Habba's "witch hunt" arguments, and the appellate court affirmed him.
Then Habba throws a curveball, calling AG Letitia James' statements on the courthouse steps "part of the shakeup."
Then Habba throws a curveball, calling AG Letitia James' statements on the courthouse steps "part of the shakeup."
Engoron now addresses the topic of my story last week about Trump merging the present/future.
Judge: “You can’t look at a property ten years later and say, ‘Now look what it’s worth.’ This is about *current* market value.”
@thedailybeast explains here: thedailybeast.com/trumps-bank-fr…
Judge: “You can’t look at a property ten years later and say, ‘Now look what it’s worth.’ This is about *current* market value.”
@thedailybeast explains here: thedailybeast.com/trumps-bank-fr…
@thedailybeast Good context from @jruss_jruss here:
https://twitter.com/jruss_jruss/status/1708879532776739093
@thedailybeast @jruss_jruss Now Kise is seizing the moment to turn the heat on the judge too.
"You owe it to the defendants to listen to this evidence."
"I don't think you're an expert on accounting standards."
"We have experts you haven't heard from."
"You owe it to the defendants to listen to this evidence."
"I don't think you're an expert on accounting standards."
"We have experts you haven't heard from."
@thedailybeast @jruss_jruss You can hear in the voices of Alina Habba, Clifford Roberts, and Chris Kise that they are ticked off about the judge's ruling last week.
This one: thedailybeast.com/trump-tries-to…
This one: thedailybeast.com/trump-tries-to…
@thedailybeast @jruss_jruss Circling back to the "witch hunt" stuff, which is just bonkers to raise at this point, the judge rejected this in 2022.
"For the OAG not to have investigated the original respondents... would have been a blatant dereliction of duty."
"For the OAG not to have investigated the original respondents... would have been a blatant dereliction of duty."
@thedailybeast @jruss_jruss "The impetus for the investigation was not personal animus, not racial or ethnic or other discrimination, not campaign promises, but was sworn congressional testimony by former Trump associate Michael Cohen that respondents were 'cooking the books.'"
iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fbem/DocumentD…
iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fbem/DocumentD…
@thedailybeast @jruss_jruss We're breaking for lunch.
As he exited the courtroom, Donald Trump just walked by a seated AG Letitia James and sneered at her. Chris Kise ushered him along.
As he exited the courtroom, Donald Trump just walked by a seated AG Letitia James and sneered at her. Chris Kise ushered him along.
@thedailybeast @jruss_jruss We're back from lunch. Trump and AG James are still here.
The first witness is taking the stand: Donald Bender, Trump's long-time accountant at MazarsUSA.
At the Trump Org criminal trial last year, he helped the DA prove the company committed tax fraud.
The first witness is taking the stand: Donald Bender, Trump's long-time accountant at MazarsUSA.
At the Trump Org criminal trial last year, he helped the DA prove the company committed tax fraud.
@thedailybeast @jruss_jruss Once more, Kise raises issues the judge has already rejected: the idea that 8/10 business deals are too old to litigate.
"We object to testimony coming in that is outside what [the time period] should be," he said.
"We object to testimony coming in that is outside what [the time period] should be," he said.
@thedailybeast @jruss_jruss After less-than-eventful testimony from Bender, the judge just ended the day.
On his way out, Trump puckered his lips and let out a big breath.
He didn't even glance at the AG this time.
On his way out, Trump puckered his lips and let out a big breath.
He didn't even glance at the AG this time.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
