"Judge Engoron basically gave him the rope, and he hung himself," ex-prosecutor says.
Former President Donald Trump’s Thursday courtroom tirade could backfire, legal experts warn.
Trump attorney Chris Kise asked Judge Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing Trump’s New York fraud trial, to allow Trump to speak on his own behalf during closing arguments. Engoron asked Trump if he would agree to stick to the facts and relevant law but the former president launched into a lengthy diatribe, accusing the judge and New York Attorney General Letitia James of waging a “political witch hunt” and demanding “damages” because the real “fraud is on me.”
During one portion of his rant, Trump referred to a key allegation in James’ lawsuit alleging that the former president’s Trump Tower penthouse was valued at three times larger than it actually is.
"They made a mistake. It was an honest mistake," Trump said.
James’ team allowed Trump to speak until the judge ultimately shut him down and pleaded for Kise to “control your client.”
“There may be a reason that James' staff didn't interrupt,” wrote NBC News legal analyst Lisa Rubin. “The AG’s office may have struck gold because some of what Trump said was so damaging to him, especially his explanation of the triplex square footage ‘error.’”
Of course Trump wanted to do one of his usual "omg witch hunt" speeches. He didn't seem to realize that the trial was already over, and in the penalty phase, or that the speech would not be on TV. The email chain between Trump's incompetent lawyer (who had previously been reported on as one of his 'good' ones) was hilarious but also just sad, I mean, the guy can't even be bothered to capitalize words starting sentences and the request to 'delay until Jan 29th because Melania's parent died' is ludicrously transparent. Anyway, his lawyer needs to be fined or formally censured some more.
The sentence, "Former President Donald Trump’s Thursday courtroom tirade could backfire," is so fucking funny. I'm sorry, was this a strategy?? Did a team of legal experts come up with a plan which included a senile fascist screaming at a judge for 6 minutes? Did that seem like it was going to go in his favor???
One would think that with all the litigation this man has been involved in throughout his life, he'd have sense enough to STFU. Especially in a trial where he's already been found liable and is in the penalty phase.
More evidence that some form of dementia has set in, and is getting worse. Irrational anger is part of the deal.
People bag on me for saying this, but look at Trump interviews from the 80s and 90s, even the 00s. He may have been full of shit, but he could string a sentence together. You could parse meaning from his speech. Though this outburst seemed pretty straightforward, his speech over the last 2-3 years has been teetering on the edge of full-blown dementia.
I give him 2-years until he's screaming that Nazi squirrels are stealing his acorns.
“There may be a reason that James' staff didn't interrupt,” wrote NBC News legal analyst Lisa Rubin.
No, really? You think maybe they were giving him rope to hang himself? /s
This expert analysis brought to you by the best legal analysts at NBC. FFS, of course that's what they were doing, you ignoramus. The judge is interested in maintaining an orderly courtroom, but unhinged rants are gold mines for prosecutors.
"Former federal prosecutor Kristy Greenberg, who was in the courtroom, told CNN she was stunned to “see somebody have so much disrespect” for the judge and the court.
"The attacks on — the personal attacks on the judge — this is a judge who had a bomb threat this morning. That's why the amount of security that was in the courthouse was unlike anything I have seen. and I have been other days when various Trump family members have testified, and this was heightened. They were very concerned about threats,” she said.
"I'm waiting for the judge to tell him 'You're done and if you continue you'll be held in contempt!'” she added. "That's what happened to me and any other lawyers happening in courts and it was not done."
Engoron is expected to issue a ruling by Jan. 31."
Come the fuck on, when will you people ever learn?? The content does not matter.
The name recognition and the "fuck the libs" or "fuck the far right" is what matters.
STOP REPORTING ON THIS EPISODICALLY AND START REPORTING IT FOR WHAT IT IS: long-term trend of the right systematically weakening institutions and eroding trust in government.
Former President Donald Trump’s Thursday courtroom tirade could backfire, legal experts warn. Trump attorney Chris Kise asked Judge Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing Trump’s New York fraud trial, to allow Trump to speak on his own behalf during closing arguments. Engoron asked Trump if he would agree to stick to the facts and relevant law but the former president launched into a lengthy diatribe, accusing the judge and New York Attorney General Letitia James of waging a “political witch hunt” and demanding “damages” because the real “fraud is on me.” During one portion of his rant, Trump referred to a key allegation in James’ lawsuit alleging that the former president’s Trump Tower penthouse was valued at three times larger than it actually is. James’ team allowed Trump to speak until the judge ultimately shut him down and pleaded for Kise to “control your client.” Former New York prosecutor Charles Coleman Jr. agreed that Trump “hurt himself” with the outburst. - TV-MA, 61 mins