An attorney representing former President Donald Trump has disclosed that Trump is scheduled to be the final witness in the $250 million civil fraud case led by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Christopher Kise revealed that Trump’s testimony is set for December 11 in the trial, where James alleges that Trump and his co-defendants falsely inflated assets for financial gain. Donald Trump Jr. is also expected to testify for the defense on December 6, following testimonies from Trump and Eric Trump, another of Trump’s sons, who have already answered questions from James’ office attorneys.
CNBC noted further: “Trump, who is running for president again in 2024, has decried the case as a witch hunt and lobbed accusations of political bias at James, as well as the presiding judge and his principal law clerk. Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron has imposed gag orders barring Trump, his lawyers, and the other defendants in the case from commenting publicly about his clerk, Allison Greenfield. Engoron has also expressed concern about the hundreds of threatening and harassing messages that have inundated his chambers during the trial.”
A state appeals court in New York also just reimposed a gag order against Trump this week.
“The ruling Thursday by a four-judge panel rejected Trump’s appeal and reinstated the orders against Trump and his lawyers, who’d repeatedly complained about the clerk in court,” NBC News reported.
“State court officials had argued the gag order was necessary because of the ‘deluge’ of threats directed at the clerk after Trump had blasted her on social media. Trump renewed his attacks on the clerk after a judge from the state Appellate Division issued a temporary stay of the order earlier this month,” the report added.
The initial restraining order was implemented by Judge Arthur Engoron, overseeing the $250 million lawsuit initiated by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Judge Engoron has previously determined that Trump engaged in bank fraud by exaggerating his net worth to secure more favorable loans.
A potentially unfavorable development for James occurred after the testimony of a Deutsche Bank executive. David Williams, who played a role in at least one of the three loans Deutsche Bank provided to Trump before his presidency, testified that it is “atypical, but not entirely unusual” for the bank to reduce a client’s stated asset value by 50% and still approve a loan, as was the case with Trump, as reported by Bloomberg News.
Trump attorney Jesus Suarez asked Williams, a managing director at the German-owned bank, “Is the bank capable of reaching its own judgment based on the evaluation it makes of the guarantor’s financial condition?”
“Certainly, yes,” Williams said.
Bloomberg noted further: “The suit brought last year by New York Attorney General Letitia James accuses Trump of inflating his assets by as much as $3.6 billion a year to get better terms from banks and insurers. Trump is scheduled to take the witness stand for the second time on Dec. 11, when he’s likely to double down on his earlier testimony that no banks were financially harmed by loaning to him.”
Letitia James is pursuing $250 million in penalties and aims to prohibit Trump from engaging in further business activities in the state of New York.
During the proceedings, Kevin Wallace, the attorney representing James, emphasized to Judge Arthur Engoron that the testimony of David Williams does not undermine the strength of the state’s case, according to Bloomberg. Wallace clarified that the crucial aspect of the trial is not centered on whether Deutsche Bank was a victim but rather on whether Trump deliberately fabricated and utilized false financial documents.
Bloomberg added: “Trump, who denies wrongdoing and claims the case is politically motivated, is calling to the stand this week four current and former Deutsche Bank employees — including the family’s former private banker Rosemary Vrablic — as part of his defense case seeking to flip the script on the state’s version of events. The testimony could undermine the state’s portrayal of Deutsche Bank as Trump’s biggest victim.”
