15 September 2023, Mumbai: Former President Donald Trump’s legal team has mounted a last-minute legal challenge that threatens to disrupt the upcoming trial in New York involving the state attorney general’s fraud lawsuit against him and the Trump Organization.
Trump’s lawyers’ legal challenge.
The trial, scheduled to begin on October 2, may face a potential delay following Trump’s lawyers’ legal challenge. They have accused the trial judge, Arthur Engoron, of abusing his authority repeatedly. A state appeals court judge, Justice David Friedman, has granted an interim stay of the trial and ordered the full appeals court to expedite its consideration of the lawsuit. The appeals court is expected to issue a decision during the week of September 25, which means the trial could still proceed as scheduled, depending on the court’s ruling.
claims in the fraud lawsuit are barred
Trump’s legal team has raised concerns about Engoron’s refusal to grant a recent request for a three-week trial delay, which he deemed “completely without merit.” There is also lingering uncertainty about the trial’s scope because Engoron has yet to determine which claims in the fraud lawsuit are barred by the statute of limitations.
Trump and the Trump Organization
While the trial may face potential delays, other proceedings in the attorney general’s lawsuit against Trump and the Trump Organization will continue as scheduled. These include oral arguments set for September 22, during which Engoron will decide on some or all of the case before the trial begins.
Attorney General James alleges that Trump defrauded banks, insurers
The lawsuit brought by Attorney General Letitia James alleges that Trump defrauded banks, insurers, and others through inflated annual financial statements that artificially increased the value of his properties and boosted his net worth by as much as $3.6 billion. The lawsuit seeks $250 million in penalties and a ban on Trump conducting business in New York. James’ office has asked Engoron to grant summary judgment in its favor on one of the seven claims in her lawsuit, specifically that Trump and his company committed fraud. To rule on this, Engoron needs to determine whether Trump’s annual financial statements were false or misleading and whether they were used during business transactions.
While Trump is not expected to testify in court if the case goes to trial, video recordings of his depositions could be presented as evidence. The legal battle between the former president and the New York attorney general’s office continues, with its outcome having significant implications for both parties involved.
By Yashika Desai