Trump New York Fraud Case Could be Delayed After ex-president Sues Judge – The trial set for October involving Donald Trump in a civil case filed by the New York attorney general, Letitia James, may face a potential delay. This is because the former US president has discreetly initiated a lawsuit against the presiding judge, as initially reported by the Daily Beast.
Letitia James, a Democrat, filed a lawsuit against Trump and his adult sons last year, accusing them of extensive fraud linked to the Trump Organization and pursuing damages of $250 million as well as professional sanctions. The trial’s originally scheduled date is October 2nd. As per the New York Times, there is still a possibility that it might proceed, but the legal proceedings have been temporarily halted due to Donald Trump’s lawsuit against Judge Arthur F. Engoron.
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Trump alleges that the judge ignored an appeals court order, which, according to the former president’s legal team, has the potential to substantially restrict the scope of the case. Trump has repeatedly sought to delay or throw out the case, and has repeatedly been rejected. But this time, the Daily Beast said, an appeals judge, David Friedman, “grant[ed] the former president’s request in a surprise hearing on Thursday that was closed off to the public.”
According to Trump’s legal team, Judge Arthur F. Engoron failed to comply with an appellate order to determine which real estate transactions in the case are, in fact, too old to be scrutinized for potential bank and insurance fraud. The Daily Beast reported that Engoron is expected to render this decision in the near future. Trump lawyers also protested against a recent order in which Engoron rejected an attempt to delay the case, writing curtly: “Decline to sign; defendants’ arguments are completely without merit.”
Following Friedman’s decision to pause the case, a complete appeals panel was scheduled to review the matter, which could potentially lead to changes in the case’s course or even result in further delays. A spokesperson for the state court system informed the Times that the appeals panel would issue its ruling during the week starting on September 25th.
The New York case represents just one facet of the unprecedented array of legal challenges that Trump is confronting as he seeks to return to a position of power. Trump is currently facing 91 criminal charges across four separate indictments, encompassing allegations related to state and federal election interference, mishandling of classified information, and hush-money payments during the 2016 election.
Additionally, he is involved in another civil trial stemming from a defamation case linked to a rape accusation that a judge deemed to be “substantially true.” Despite denying any wrongdoing and asserting that he is a victim of political persecution, Trump is currently commanding substantial leads in Republican primary polling, both on a national level and in crucial states. Regarding the various legal cases he is facing, Trump’s legal team has been employing assertive strategies.
They are actively attempting to disqualify judges based on alleged bias and are also seeking to postpone trials, potentially extending them beyond the primary season next year. During an upcoming NBC interview set to air on Sunday, Trump mentioned that it’s “very unlikely” he would pardon himself if he were to return to the White House. It’s worth noting that even a return to the presidency wouldn’t shield him from state-level cases, but many perceive it as his best chance to avoid convictions.
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The New York state fraud case is due to be the first to reach a courtroom. James has said a “mountain of undisputed evidence” will show Trump and associates lied over the value of assets and his net worth, which prosecutors say was overstated by as much as $3.6bn. In a statement on Thursday, the attorney general said: “We are confident in our case and will be ready for trial.”