'You were warned': Judge reprimands Trump's lawyers in New York AG's $250M fraud case

MicroWave@lemmy.world to News@lemmy.world – 506 points – 'You were warned': Judge reprimands Trump's lawyers in New York AG's $250M fraud case
abcnews.go.com

A judge in New York expressed frustration at Donald Trump's defense counsel while considering sanctioning the defendants and their lawyers for making frivolous arguments in the state's civil case against the former president and others.

"When I first heard those arguments, I thought that was a joke," said Judge Arthur Engoron, who added that he has repeatedly ruled on and been upheld on some of the arguments rehashed by defense.

"The rule on sanctions is if you've been warned, don't do it. You were warned," Engoron said.

"As a lawyer, I have to make the arguments," Trump attorney Chris Kise told Engoron.

Kise earlier in the afternoon asked the judge to dismiss the case against Trump and the other defendants.

"What is happening here is what happens every day in complex business transitions," Kise said about the vast differences in appraisals for Trump's assets.

When Kise argued that no one was harmed by Trump's business dealings, Engoron offered a frank assessment.

"The fact that no one was hurt does not mean the case gets dismissed," Engoron said, adding that he believes that "fairness in the marketplace" was a victim of the defendants' actions.

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The fact that no one was hurt does not mean the case gets dismissed,” Engoron said

It's also not a fact that he hurt no one. His lies hurt banks and lenders (small violin noise), consumers and tax payers.

Describing Trump as "master at finding value where others do not," Kise attempted to describe asset valuation as a subjective process.

This is a ridiculous argument. Appropriate methodologies for determining values are very well established. Any accountant knows this. IFRS 13 deals with the various concepts at length - it's foundational accounting.

Yea but they're a lawyer not an accountant so I think we let this one slide ... /s

I too, am a master at finding value that others miss. I have a living, growing masterpiece of fungal art that I have spent years in creating. It is accruing value by the day and is currently in storage in a temperature controlled, refrigerated vault. For that connoisseur, this a truly one of a kind art, and beyond price, but if I have to put a number on it, it cannot possibly go to market less than a tree-fitty, two comma,USD amount. This is only one, of a full collection, BTW.

"This is why billionaires are billionaires," Kise said of Trump's ability to see the value of his "trophy" properties.

Because they lie, cheat and steal?

Also..

By contrast, the AG's lawyers will ask the judge to find Trump and other defendants, including his adult sons and his family business, liable for fraud even before a jury starts hearing evidence.

James accused Trump, his children and his company of "grossly" inflating the former president's net worth by billions of dollars and cheating lenders and others with false and misleading financial statements.

Fraud at this level is a felony in the State of NY. I hope if this civil case goes through, criminal charges are brought for all of them.

What the hell is with these shitty judges not doing their jobs? They've been warned. The next step is not to warn them again, it's to file sanctions.

Judges will often bend over backwards to limit the possibility of a successful appeal. They don’t like having an appeals court overturn a verdict since it means they would then have to retry the entire case again.

By giving the defense multiple warnings they’re effectively preventing them from using this instance as a credible argument in an appeal. In an appeal the defense might say something like “the judge unfairly ruled against me regarding X”. But the appellate court will see in the transcript that the judge issued multiple warnings before ruling on X and use that to reject the claim.

I like your rationale here. It's a good reason and it makes sense. Thanks for that

I don't like the part that it's taken the justice system 30 years to start dealing with this clown. If it were anyone else....

Do you mean shitty lawyers?

There's a slate of judges who are refusing to do their jobs. There shouldn't be another discussion about it, the lawyers were warned, and this step should be to file sanctions and report them to the bar.

A Colorado judge issued an order disallowing Trump from intimidating witnesses or officers of the court - something that is ALREADY illegal. They're so terrified of putting him in jail for contempt.

https://lemmy.world/post/5553911

Chicken shit judges.

*Edit: there -> they're. Amateur hour over here.

Did you ever think that if different judges with different political ideologies are all doing the same thing, it's because they're all acting professional and not giving Trump room to scream from the rooftops that it's political persecution? They have to take progressive enforcement.

He's being treated with baby gloves because if they actually do punish him for being a fucking moron his base will go nuclear and probably kill people

I would think it is more about not wanting the same rules applied to other rich people. Can't have precedent set for the rich and connected actually being punished for anything, otherwise they might go after other corrupt people, too!

How would a lawyers issue sanctions? You don't even have to read the article to know that, it's right there in the title!

Are you high? FFS.

Neither you nor anyone else downvoting has provided any backup for their impulses... Fuck both your and my emotions, provide facts! Judges issue sanctions, neither sides' lawyers can! If you still disagree, what have I gotten wrong?