The Briefing Room
General Category => Trump Legal Investigations => Topic started by: mystery-ak on November 06, 2023, 04:07:33 pm
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Trump fraud trial live updates: Ex-president Donald Trump testifying now as AG Letitia James, prepped for ‘taunts,’ says numbers ‘don’t lie’
By Priscilla DeGregory and
Kaydi Pelletier
Updated Nov. 6, 2023, 11:00 a.m. ET
a minute ago
Trump attorneys call him 'future president' of the US, citing new poll
By Kyle Schnitzer and Ben Kochman
Trump's attorneys at one point referred to him as the "future president" of the US, citing a New York Times/Sienna College poll that came out Sunday showing the 2024 GOP frontrunner with a lead over President Biden in five out of six key swing states.
“The court should grant the former president of the US and, according to the New York Times this morning perhaps the future president of the US some latitude," lawyer Chris Kise told the judge.
At another point, Trump lawyer Alina Habba referred to him as "President Trump."
5 minutes ago
Donald Trump testified that he became president because of his "brand" -- adding that he could have inflated his assets by tens of millions of dollars based on that value.
"I became president because of my brand value," the former president said. "I sell books because of my brand value."
“If I wanted to build out a statement [of financial condition]," Trump said. "I would have added brand value and I would have increased it by tens of millions of dollars.”
AG Letitia James claims that the real estate tycoon pumped up the value of his assets by billions a year for better loan and insurance terms.
17 minutes ago
'Can you control your client,' judge snaps at Trump's lawyers
By Ben Kochman and Priscilla DeGregory
A Manhattan judge told Donald Trump's lawyers to "control your client" as the former president spoke softly, giving meandering and longwinded answers to questions from a state lawyer.
"Mr. Kise, can you control your client?" Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron said just now to Trump lawyer Chris Kise. "This is not a political rally."
"I have asked the witness several times to answer the question," Engoron said.
"We'll be here all day" if Trump continues at this pace, the judge said.
Trump's answers have included one rant in which he explained why he thinks that his 2014 financial filing actually undervalued his assets.
“The statement is much less valuable in terms of the dollar amount compared to the actuality of the worth,” Trump said, adding to Wallace: "It was the opposite of your case."
Trump at one point made a mocking face and squinted at the judge, saying Engoron "always rules against me."
“You can attack me or do whatever you want, but just answer the questions,” the judge snapped back.
29 minutes ago
Judge tells Trump to cut out 'speeches' and just 'answer questions'
By Ben Kochman and Kyle Schnitzer
As Trump started to testify, Justice Arthur Engoron told him to be more "responsive" -- and to cut out the "speeches."
"Mr. Trump, Mr. Wallace is being very patient," the judge said, referring to AG attorney Kevin Wallace.
"I’m elected to move things along faster," Engoron continued. "Please answer your questions, no speeches."
He added: "Some of your answers have not been responsive."
an hour ago
NY AG Letitia James outside courthouse: 'Only thing that matters are the facts and the numbers — and numbers, my friends, don't lie'
By Priscilla DeGregory
New York Attorney General Letitia James spoke briefly outside a Manhattan court ahead of Donald Trump's testimony in her case, saying he "repeatedly and consistently" inflated his assets.
"Mr. Trump has repeatedly and consistently misrepresented and inflated the value of his assets, and before he takes the stand, I'm certain that he will engage in name-calling, taunts and race-baiting, calling this a witch hunt," James said.
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1721539383705149579
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Live updates here
https://nypost.com/2023/11/06/news/trump-fraud-trial-live-updates-as-donald-trump-testifies-in-nyc/
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14 minutes ago
Trump warned not to speak about case during break
By Ben Kochman and Priscilla DeGregory
The court took a 15-minute break around 11 a.m., with Trump being directed not to speak about the case.
Trump made a gesture zipping his lips when he left the courtroom.
10 minutes ago
Judge threatens to throw Trump out of courtroom if he doesn't stop making 'speeches'
By Kyle Schnitzer, Ben Kochman and Priscilla DeGregory
Judge Arthur Engoron threatened to throw Donald Trump off the witness stand if he doesn't stop making speeches from it.
"Mr. Kise, that was a simple yes-or-no question," Engoron said of Trump being asked about the accuracy of his 2014 financial statement.
"We got another speech," the judge said. "I beseech you to control him if you can. If you can’t, I will. I will excuse him and use every negative inference that I can."
Trump lawyer Alina Habba argued that her client should be able to give long answers like Michael Cohen did on the stand two weeks ago. Habba also said AG lawyer Kevin Wallace should ask "better questions."
But Engoron bellowed at Habba to "sit down."
Trump then interjected: “This is a very unfair trial, very unfair. And I hope the public is watching.”
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Raheem.
@RaheemKassam
Location is irrelevant to the value of property, says Judge Engoron.
L M F A O.
Inner City Press
@innercitypress
·17m
NY AG lawyer: Let's turn to your golf club in Scotland. This states, 500 hectares, etc. Was this accurate, that you had permission for a residential village?
Trump: Yes, it's the oil capital of Europe --
Judge Engoran: Irrelevant, irrelevant
11:51 AM · Nov 6, 2023
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a minute ago
Judge loses cool, cuts Trump off during 'irrelevant' answers about Aberdeen golf course
By Ben Kochman, Kyle Schnitzer and Priscilla DeGregory
Judge Arthur Engoron cut Donald Trump off during 'irrelevant' comments about the former president's golf course in Scotland.
Trump said his golf course in Aberdeen, Scotland "may be the greatest golf course in the world," and he said three times that Aberdeen is "the oil capital of Europe."
Engoron interjected, "irrelevant, irrelevant."
"It is. you should know," Trump quietly muttered.
Later the judge said to the a lawyer with the AG's office: “I'm following your lead here, if you want to let the witness ramble on.’’
18 minutes ago
Trump claims he was too busy with presidency for financial statements -- in 2021
By Kyle Schnitzer
Trump was asked about his involvement in his 2021 financial statement and responded, "I was busy inthe White House."
"My threshold was China, Russia and keeping our country safe.”
AG attorney Kevin Wallace then reminded Trump: "Just to clarify the record, you weren’t president in 2021."
"No I wasn't," Trump replied.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-Q3wCMWwAACit6?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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5 minutes ago
Trump attacks AG as 'hack', accuses court of 'fraud' in yelling rant from witness stand
By Ben Kochman, Kyle Schnitzer and Priscilla DeGregory
Donald Trump's courtroom decorum began to breakdown as the former president began yelling and attacking the judge and the attorney general from the witness stand.
Trump had been testifying for the past roughly two hours in hushed tones until he became visibly agitated, speaking loudly saying that the Justice Arthur Engoron and New York Attorney General Letitia James were "trying to hurt" him.
The real estate tycoon called James a "political hack," accusing her of using "this case to become governor" and successfully using it for her current post.
Then Trump went after Engoron proclaiming, while pointing at the jurist: "Everybody's watching this case. He called me a fraud and he didn't know anything about me."
"The fraud is on the court and not on me," he continued to rant.
"When you rule Mar-A-Lago is worth $18 million and she rules it's worth $25 million, either people are very stupid or there's a fraud. The fraud is on behalf of the court."
In a decision from days before trial began, Engoron found Trump responble for some of James' main fraud allegations against Trump and cited a Florida official's appraisal of the Palm Beach golf club at a maximum of $27 million while Trump has claimed it's worth as much as $1.5 billion.
"He said I'm a fraud because I didn't value my property correctly," Trump continued to loudly ramble. "He's the one who didn't rule my property correctly."
Trump insisted he did a "great job" as president.
Before AG lawyer Kevin Wallace asked, "You're done?"
"I'm done," Trump responded.
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Inner City Press
@innercitypress
NY AG lawyer: Was Allan not careful?
Trump: He was. But there was the disclaimer clause, also called the non-reliance clause. This is disgraceful.
__________
Trump: Disclaimer clause
Judge: No, we're not going to hear about that. Read my opinion about that-
Trump: He called me a fraud & he didn't know anything about me
NY AG lawyer: You do not agree with the determination of the court?
Trump: The fraud is on the court
__________
Trump: That clause is on page 1, that's why I didn't get involved in these things. We shouldn't be having a case here. Every court in this country upholds these clauses except this particular judge.
__________
Trump: It says, You must do your own due diligence.
NY AG lawyer: Do you still stand behind these statements?
Trump: Yes. You haven't shown me anything to make me disbelieve. Again, even if it was material, we have a disclaimer clause that says don't count on this
12:08 PM · Nov 6, 2023
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Don't care if it's Trump or anyone else, this judge is so biased that the 'trial' is starting to look like nothing but a fix.
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Inner City Press
@innercitypress
NY AG lawyer: This says negative cash flow. Did you know?
Trump: It could have been, for one year. It makes a lot of money now. You have extraordinary expenses. The money we borrowed is all current, paid off. Not one bank lost money.
12:41 PM · Nov 6, 2023
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Raheem.
@RaheemKassam
Trump isn’t letting prosecution beat him up on the stand and it’s pissing Engoron off. He’s ranting and raging, frothing at the mouth. Should be locked up himself!
Lisa Rubin
@lawofruby
Engoron, after listening to another speech in response to a yes-or-no question: “I beseech you to control him. If you can’t, I will. I will excuse him and draw every negative inference.”
11:13 AM · Nov 6, 2023
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8 minutes ago
Trump gives thumbs up as he walks out for lunch break
By Priscilla DeGregory
Asked how the proceedings were going, Trump gave a thumbs up as he walked out of the courtroom for the lunch break.
His testimony is set to resume at 2:15 p.m.
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Mark R. Levin
@marklevinshow
A court observer in the outrageous trial in NY. The Democrat judge is a disgrace and a clown.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-Q8QVeWkAAGKvh?format=jpg&name=900x900)
11:36 AM · Nov 6, 2023
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Lisa Rubin
@lawofruby
Habba gets more aggressive. “The burden is on the AG to ask better questions.” Engoron: “We are not here to hear what he has to say. We are here to listen to him answer questions.”
__________
Habba pushes back, “Yes, you are here to listen to what he has to say.” Engoron reiterates he is here to listen to Trump answer questions and then loses his temper, “SIT DOWN!” He instructs Wallace to continue, but not before Trump adds, “This is a very unfair trial.”
10:52 AM · Nov 6, 2023
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Raheem.
@RaheemKassam
Engoron having a meltdown in court lol
Lisa Rubin
@lawofruby
But the statement overall, he maintains, was a “nice compilation of assets” and reflected that he had $342 million in cash. Engoron is angry and without any objection, shouts, “Stricken! Stricken!”
11:10 AM · Nov 6, 2023
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This wretched, nasty thug can’t even pretend to hide her hatred for Donald Trump Prosecutorial misconduct at the highest level
https://twitter.com/_johnnymaga/status/1721562763158319503
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-RCbMsWcAA-8PS?format=jpg&name=small)
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The judge has practically pushed this thing into mistrial territory.
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Sounds like Trump's defense is that, under Generally Accept Accounting Principles, his properties had additional Goodwill Value because of their "Trump" branding.
Most logical defense I've heard so far.
Many companies carry Branding Goodwill Value as an asset on their books to inflate their valuations.
Goodwill Value is B.S., but it is recognized as an asset under GAAP. The monetary valuation of Goodwill is art more than science.
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Sounds like Trump's defense is that, under Generally Accept Accounting Principles, his properties had additional Goodwill Value because of their "Trump" branding.
Don't overlook this @DefiantMassRINO
Inner City Press
@innercitypress
NY AG lawyer: Was Allan not careful?
Trump: He was. But there was the disclaimer clause, also called the non-reliance clause. This is disgraceful.
__________
Trump: Disclaimer clause
Judge: No, we're not going to hear about that. Read my opinion about that-
Trump: He called me a fraud & he didn't know anything about me
NY AG lawyer: You do not agree with the determination of the court?
Trump: The fraud is on the court
__________
Trump: That clause is on page 1, that's why I didn't get involved in these things. We shouldn't be having a case here. Every court in this country upholds these clauses except this particular judge.
__________
Trump: It says, You must do your own due diligence.
NY AG lawyer: Do you still stand behind these statements?
Trump: Yes. You haven't shown me anything to make me disbelieve. Again, even if it was material, we have a disclaimer clause that says don't count on this
12:08 PM · Nov 6, 2023
Or this ...
Inner City Press
@innercitypress
NY AG lawyer: This says negative cash flow. Did you know?
Trump: It could have been, for one year. It makes a lot of money now. You have extraordinary expenses. The money we borrowed is all current, paid off. Not one bank lost money.
12:41 PM · Nov 6, 2023
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The judge has practically pushed this thing into mistrial territory.
They're keeping Trump's time and money wrapped up at this point. They want to also inflict as much stress as possible; he's not exactly youthful. I do worry about his health. They will eventually hang him on one of the felony charges. Just my opinion.
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They're keeping Trump's time and money wrapped up at this point. They want to also inflict as much stress as possible; he's not exactly youthful. I do worry about his health. They will eventually hang him on one of the felony charges. Just my opinion.
I think Trump lives for this stuff.
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7 minutes ago
Here are Trump's main defenses during testimony so far
By Ben Kochman and Priscilla DeGregory
Donald Trump has floated several defenses during his testimony so far -- including that a disclaimer clause on the financial statements that he's accused of falsifying keeps him in the clear.
His defenses to questions by a lawyer with the AG's office have primarily revolved around the annual statements of financial condition which AG Letitia James' claims he lied on from 2011 through 2021 inflating his assets for loan and insurance purposes.
These yearly statements contained a section saying that Trump promised to provide a "fair representation" of the financial filings in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
"I think that the statements of financial conditions were very good, were actually somewhat conservative, and they were totally protected, and so was I, by the disclaimer clause," the former president said from the witness stand Monday afternoon.
Some of Trump's other defenses include his claims that the yearly statements weren't important in obtaining loans and securing business deals and that they actually undervalued his net worth.
He also claimed that he repaid all the bank loans he took out so no one was actually "harmed" and there is no "victim."
“They were paid in full. There was no victim," Trump said, before adding "Everyone is trying to figure out, why are you [the prosecutor] doing this? Nobody understands it but I understand it…it’s called politics.”
Still, the law the real estate tycoon was sued under doesn't require actual harm if he's found liable of fraud.
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an hour ago
Donald Trump's account posts on Truth Social while he's inside courtroom at fraud trial
By Kyle Schnitzer and Priscilla DeGregory
Donald Trump's social media account posted an attack against New York Attorney General Letitia James while the former president was sitting inside a courtroom.
The Truth Social post went up at 2:17 p.m., minutes after Trump re-entered Manhattan Supreme Court following a lunch break. It was not immediately clear whether Trump himself made the post.
It included a photo of James with the text "I think that she's a political hack," citing Trump's own words on the witness stand from before the lunch break.
The former president exploded earlier Monday during a grilling by an AG lawyer, attacking James and the judge, saying: "The fraud is on the court and not on me ... The fraud is on her!”
Judge Arthur Engoron previously issued a limited gag order barring Trump from speaking about Engoron's court staff, but he didn't go as far as ordering the real estate tycoon not to speak about the jurist.
Engoron has fined Trump a total of $15,000 during trial, finding that he has twice violated the order by speaking publicly about Engoron's law clerk.
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a minute ago
Donald Trump wraps testimony, leaving only Ivanka Trump left to testify in the AG's case
By Ben Kochman, Kyle Schnitzer and Priscilla DeGregory
Donald Trump concluded his testimony in a fraud case around 3:15 p.m. ending trial for the day and leaving only Ivanka Trump's testimony before the AG's case wraps.
Trial will not resume until Wednesday as courts are closed Tuesday for elections.
AG lawyer Kevin Wallace's last question of the former president was whether he would change the way his company made the financial statements that are at the heart of the AG's case.
"I have not heard of any, but its possible they will recommend something," Trump answered, before stepping off of the witness stand.
His testimony lasted for roughly three-and-a-half hours.
The AG's case will conclude after Ivanka's testimony and Trump's side will then put on its defense case. Trump's side has listed 128 possible witness, though it's not clear exactly how many of those they will actually call.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv2Xk5pU0ZE&ab_channel=ForbesBreakingNews
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Don't care if it's Trump or anyone else, this judge is so biased that the 'trial' is starting to look like nothing but a fix.
Agree
This judge is very open in his disdain for Trump
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Trump demands jury, says New York AG has 'no case' in heated testimony
Trump has denied any wrongdoing in NYC civil fraud trial
By Brooke Singman , Maria Paronich Fox News
Published November 6, 2023 4:11pm EST
Former President Trump demanded a jury Monday after his unprecedented time on the stand, calling the civil trial against him and his businesses a "disgrace" and saying New York Attorney General Letitia James has "no case."
Trump described his forced testimony as "election interference" while maintaining that his net worth is "far greater" than financial statements during testimony Monday.
The former president and 2024 Republican presidential front-runner took the stand Monday morning in the non-jury civil trial stemming from James’ lawsuit against him, his family and his businesses. James alleged Trump defrauded banks and inflated the value of his assets.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly said his assets were actually undervalued. Trump has repeatedly said his financial statements had disclaimers, requesting that the numbers be evaluated by the banks.
more
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-demands-jury-says-nyag-has-no-case-heated-testimony
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-Rxp8wXQAEdPbU?format=jpg&name=medium)
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-Rxp8wXQAEdPbU?format=jpg&name=medium)
So….. what is he there for??
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Live tweeting from trial:
https://twitter.com/innercitypress/status/1722269403310641390