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NEW YORK — Donald Trump on Thursday complained to a New York choose that he “did nothing incorrect” as a civil fraud trial that might hobble the previous president’s enterprise empire drew to a detailed.
Trump made a shock assertion from the protection desk after his legal professionals wrapped up their closing argument within the case.
“Your honor, look, I did nothing incorrect. They need to pay me,” Trump stated.
Justice Arthur Engoron, who earlier had confronted a safety risk at his suburban house, didn’t look like impressed with Trump’s argument.
“Please management your shopper,” the choose advised Trump’s lawyer, Christopher Kise.
On the trial’s closing day, Engoron reacted skeptically to Kise’s argument that Trump shouldn’t be penalized for allegedly manipulating the worth of his properties as a result of lenders and insurers that did enterprise with him nonetheless turned a revenue.
“There doesn’t should be any proof of hurt,” Engoron stated.
Engoron additionally stated he didn’t discover a protection witness to be credible.
Within the trial, the choose is contemplating what penalties to impose after earlier ruling that Trump and his firm fraudulently manipulated property values.
Your honor, look, I did nothing incorrect. They need to pay me.
–Donald Trump
New York Lawyer Common Letitia James, who introduced the case, is in search of almost $370 million and a lifetime ban on Trump from the state’s real-estate business.
Trump is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to problem Democratic President Joe Biden within the November election.
Shortly earlier than Trump’s authorized crew concluded its arguments, Alina Habba, one other of his legal professionals, identified that James pledged to scrutinize Trump’s enterprise practices whereas she was campaigning for workplace as a Democrat. Engoron stated that was not related to the case.
Please management your shopper.
–Justice Arthur Engoron
The trial’s closing arguments came about in an environment of heightened safety after media retailers reported a bomb risk at Engoron’s suburban house. The choose has been a frequent goal of Trump’s criticism.
Safety points
Safety has been a problem all through the months-long trial. Engoron’s prime staffer confronted threats after Trump criticized her as politically biased, prompting the choose to problem a gag order barring him from disparaging courtroom workers. Trump has been fined $15,000 for twice violating the order.
As James arrived on the courthouse, onlookers cheered and chanted, “Thanks, James.” Police stood guard and tightly managed entrances to the constructing.
Trump, who has denied wrongdoing and criticized the trial as a “witch hunt,” renewed his assaults on James throughout a break on Thursday.
“She sued me as a result of she wished the publicity,” Trump stated.
Trump has complained that the trial is interfering along with his presidential marketing campaign however has used occasional courtroom appearances to argue that he’s the sufferer of political persecution.
Engoron will problem a verdict at a later date and not using a jury. He discovered Trump responsible for fraud in September, leaving the trial to focus largely on how a lot cash Trump ought to give up as ill-gotten positive aspects.
Trump has appealed Engoron’s prior order and is sort of sure to enchantment any verdict in opposition to him, which might delay a closing judgment for a lot of months to a yr or extra.
All through trial, the state’s legal professionals sought to indicate that Trump constantly overvalued lots of the towers, golf golf equipment and different property that burnished his status as a enterprise mogul earlier than he entered politics.
Trump admitted to offering inaccurate property valuations throughout defiant and meandering testimony in November.
Kise argued on Thursday that any alleged manipulation was innocent. Kise stated banks and insurers would have been desperate to do enterprise with Trump even when his internet value was far decrease, Kise stated.
“He is a whale shopper,” Kise stated.
The trial earlier featured a tense face-to-face reunion between Trump and his onetime lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, who testified that Trump directed him to control asset values. Kise on Thursday referred to as Cohen a “serial liar.”
A lawyer for Trump’s grownup kids Donald Jr. and Eric, who’re additionally defendants within the case, advised the choose there was no proof that they have been considerably concerned within the monetary statements.
“This can be a press launch wrapped up in a lawsuit,” lawyer Clifford Robert stated of the case introduced by the lawyer basic.
Republican voters in Iowa and New Hampshire would be the first to resolve their most popular nominee this month to face Biden. Trump’s authorized troubles haven’t diminished his commanding lead over occasion rivals.
Trump additionally has pleaded not responsible in 4 prison prosecutions, together with two that cost him with unlawfully making an attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden. All might go to trial earlier than this yr’s election.
Contributing: Brendan O’Brien, Susan Heavey
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