Judge at Trump’s NY civil fraud trial slams hand on bench, loses his cool during testimony: ‘This is ridiculous!’By Kyle Schnitzer and Priscilla DeGregory
Published Oct. 4, 2023
The Manhattan judge deciding Donald Trump’s $250 million civil fraud trial lost his cool on Wednesday — slamming his hand on the bench and snapping, “This is ridiculous” — as the former president’s lawyers grilled his ex-accountant over inconsistent testimony.
The judge’s annoyed reaction came after Trump’s side claimed that Donald Bender, a partner at accounting firm Mazars USA, was evading their questions.
The attorneys had also repeatedly insisted they needed to meticulously go through Trump’s financial records with Bender “year by year.”
“Don’t waste time,” Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron said sternly.
Trump attorney Jesus Suarez had spent part of Tuesday afternoon and all of Wednesday morning cross-examining Bender — and said he would continue with the questioning through the end of the day.
“This is ridiculous!” Engoron said, hitting his hand on the bench.
“Mr. Bender isn’t on trial here,” Engoron reminded the lawyers, after Suarez’s aggressive questioning.
Another Trump attorney, Christopher Kise, said the only things Bender “seems to recall are what the government wants him to recall.”
* * *
Source:
https://nypost.com/2023/10/04/judge-arthur-engoron-at-trumps-ny-civil-fraud-trial-loses-his-cool-during-testimony-this-is-ridiculous/
