Trump planning to deliver closing argument in civil fraud trial: Reports

[mystery-ak]

 Trump planning to deliver closing argument in civil fraud trial: Reports
by Ella Lee - 01/10/24 9:20 AM ET
Former President Trump intends to deliver his own closing argument this week in the sprawling New York fraud trial threatening his business empire, according to multiple reports.

Trump, the Trump Organization and several top executives — including his adult sons — are accused by New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) of falsely altering the value of the business’s assets on key financial statements to receive tax and insurance benefits.

The former president himself plans to issue a final summation in his defense Thursday, as the trial comes to a close, ABC News and The Associated Press reported. Judge Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing the bench trial and will ultimately decide the verdict, approved the plan, according to a source who spoke with the AP.

The Hill requested comment from Trump’s lawyers and campaign.

more
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4399823-trump-deliver-closing-argument-in-civil-fraud-trial/

[catfish1957]

Deliver himself?

He can't be that stupid, given his level of "foot in mouth" disease.

[cato potatoe]

Time to put on a show for his fans.  Play the martyr.  Lord knows the judge will show no mercy after the abuse he endured. 

[catfish1957]

Time to put on a show for his fans.  Play the martyr.  Lord knows the judge will show no mercy after the abuse he endured.

That or say something incredibly incriminating under oath.

Just look at his idiotic comments of just the past few weeks.

[mystery-ak]

That or say something incredibly incriminating under oath.

Just look at his idiotic comments of just the past few weeks.

His lawyers better talk him out of this....

[240B]

Trump gotta be Trump! ... I get it. But, I cannot envision a scenario where this does not wind up badly.
This is a serious thing. He is paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to experienced paid professionals to do this.
Oh well ... another page in the Trump comic book, I guess? I don't know what is going on.

[catfish1957]

His lawyers better talk him out of this....

Agree 100%.  Can see him going off script, and creating his own self inflicted sh__ storm

[corbe]

   Wouldn't that require the knowledge of how to complete a sentence?

[mystery-ak]

 Judge blocks Trump from making his own closing statement in NYC civil fraud trial
By Social Links for Priscilla DeGregory and
Social Links for Ben Kochman
Published Jan. 10, 2024
Updated Jan. 10, 2024, 1:39 p.m. ET

Donald Trump won’t deliver his own closing statement at his New York civil fraud trial after all — after the judge said he needed to stick to “relevant, material facts.”

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron emailed Trump attorney Christopher Kise Wednesday saying he was assuming the 77year-old former president wouldn’t agree to the “lawful limits” and “therefore, he will not be speaking in court tomorrow.”

Kise first notified the judge in a January 4 email that after the lawyers give their arguments in the $370 million on Thursday, “President Trump plans to present argument at closing as well,” court records show. 

Andrew Amer, a lawyer with the New York Attorney General’s Office, which is prosecuting the case, opposed allowing Trump the chance to speak, warning that he  “is prone to giving irrelevant speeches, lacks self-control, is evasive in responding to questions and has repeatedly violated court order for which he has been sanctioned.”

But Engoron said he would allow the unusual move — only if Trump agreed “to limit his subject to what is permissible in a counsel’s closing argument, that is, commentary on the relevant, material facts that are in evidence, and application of the relevant law to those facts.”

more
https://nypost.com/2024/01/10/news/judge-rescinds-permission-for-former-trump-to-give-his-own-closing-argument-at-civil-fraud-trial/

[mountaineer]

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron emailed Trump attorney Christopher Kise Wednesday saying he was assuming the 77year-old former president wouldn’t agree to the “lawful limits” and “therefore, he will not be speaking in court tomorrow.”

As ill-conceived as Trump's plan to deliver his "closing argument" may have been, this judge continues to demonstrate his clear bias.

[mystery-ak]

https://twitter.com/EliseStefanik/status/1745163432603553997

[GtHawk]

Trump gotta be Trump! ... I get it. But, I cannot envision a scenario where this does not wind up badly.
This is a serious thing. He is paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to experienced paid professionals to do this.
Oh well ... another page in the Trump comic book, I guess? I don't know what is going on.

Trump is paying, or are all the Trump suckers who think they are donating to his presidential campaign paying?

[libertybele]

As ill-conceived as Trump's plan to deliver his "closing argument" may have been, this judge continues to demonstrate his clear bias.

Definite bias and I don't think this is going to end well for Trump.

[berdie]

As ill-conceived as Trump's plan to deliver his "closing argument" may have been, this judge continues to demonstrate his clear bias.

Absolutely biased. But the judge may have saved Trump from himself.

[libertybele]

Absolutely biased. But the judge may have saved Trump from himself.

You're probably right @berdie

[cato potatoe]

Well as it turns out, Donny from Queens just couldn't help himself, and delivered one of his rants this afternoon.  It's safe to assume his losing streak will remain in tact. 

[sneakypete]

As ill-conceived as Trump's plan to deliver his "closing argument" may have been, this judge continues to demonstrate his clear bias.

@mountaineer

This is so obvious you almost have to believe that Trump and his legal team put this "sucker bait"  out there in the hope the judge would "bite" in order to set the stage for an appeal if convicted.

And it looks like that is what happened.

[GtHawk]

@mountaineer

This is so obvious you almost have to believe that Trump and his legal team put this "sucker bait"  out there in the hope the judge would "bite" in order to set the stage for an appeal if convicted.

And it looks like that is what happened.

Yeah that's what it was, because of course there was never any plan to appeal if convicted prior to this "sucker bait". Face it Trump is/has been/always be a reality show star mindset who has proven repeatedly that he just can't keep quiet when it's in his own best interest. Do I believe that the left has persecuted and used lawfare against him? Yes I do, but he continually aids and abets them with his inability to do the smart thing and just keep his mouth shut.

[libertybele]

Yeah that's what it was, because of course there was never any plan to appeal if convicted prior to this "sucker bait". Face it Trump is/has been/always be a reality show star mindset who has proven repeatedly that he just can't keep quiet when it's in his own best interest. Do I believe that the left has persecuted and used lawfare against him? Yes I do, but he continually aids and abets them with his inability to do the smart thing and just keep his mouth shut.

You are absolutely correct, Trump doesn't know when to keep his darn mouth shut, even when it's in his best interest.

[roamer_1]

He had the right to remain silent... but he didn't have the ability.

[mountaineer]

He had the right to remain silent... but he didn't have the ability.

[GtHawk]

He had the right to remain silent... but he didn't have the ability.

It's almost as if he actually wrote that line for Trump

[Maj. Bill Martin]

That or say something incredibly incriminating under oath.

Just look at his idiotic comments of just the past few weeks.

Well, if it is a closing argument, that's not evidence and he won't be under oath.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I had an extended conversation recently with a very experienced trial lawyer who was highly placed in the Trump Administration.  He was of the opinion that Trump is actually a very good witness.  Very adept at spinning facts to his benefit, steering a narrative, and pushing back on counsel who try to box him in.  Also isn't intimidated by a lot of judges and so gets away with saying things the courts wish he wouldn't.

Kind of surprising to me, but I do trust this guy's legal judgement and can see his point.  Trump's inability to keep his mouth shut outside of court is a different issue, but if he's testifying on the stand in a civil case, or chooses to testify in a criminal case, then "keeping his mouth shut" isn't part of the equation.   And certainly, a guy like Trump would be a nightmare to cross-examine because you'd have to fight him on every last word.