- Trump argued that the judge showed “ample bias,” and attacked the law clerk’s financial contributions.
- The New York Attorney General’s Office is seeking an estimated $250 million and to shut down Trump business abilities in the state.
A New York judge shot down Donald Trump’s push to get a mistrial in a civil fraud lawsuit that threatens to force him and co-defendants to give up hundreds of millions of dollars and block him from running a business in the state.
Trump and several co-defendants argued this week that their ongoing trial should get tossed out, in part, because the judge’s main law clerk, Allison Greenfield, attended a Democratic event in which speakers advocated for Joe Biden and received applause when commenting on a fight against issues tied to Trump.
However, Judge Arthur Engoron said his clerk presence at the event, sponsored by an outside organization, didn’t mean the organization’s opinions and actions should be linked to the clerk and the judge.
“Such arguments are nonsensical; and in any event, they are a red herring, as my Principal Law Clerk does not make rulings or issue orders — I do,” the judge said.
Engoron is presiding over the New York Attorney General’s lawsuit against Donald Trump, his two oldest sons, and other associates and entities connected to the former president’s business empire. The state has asked the judge to order the defendants to cough up an estimated $250 million, and to impose severe business restrictions against them.
