Trump to testify at civil trial targeting his New York empire

 

In the New York civil case that may topple his real estate enterprise and deliver him a severe financial blow as he attempts to win the White House next year, former president Donald Trump is scheduled to testify on Monday.

The 77-year-old Republican is scheduled to testify at 10:00 am (1500 GMT), where he will be seated next to Arthur Engoron, the case's judge, whom Trump has frequently disparaged as "unhinged" and a "Democrat operative who despises Trump."

In response, Engoron hit Trump with two fines, $5,000 and $10,000, saying the former reality TV star had broken a partial gag order that had been placed after he insulted the judge's clerk on social media.

Trump will be sworn in and interrogated, just like his two oldest sons Don Jr. and Eric the previous week, behind the fading painting in the Manhattan courtroom that celebrates the 1683 adoption of a "Charter of Liberties."

The Trump Organization has been charged by New York Attorney General Letitia James with manipulating asset values by billions of dollars in order to secure better insurance and bank loan terms.

Even though he can be combative when speaking in public, Trump is expected to take the conservative stance that his sons did last week when they testified, saying that accountants should be the ones who ultimately confirm the truth of the company's financial accounts.

In relation to this lawsuit, he has previously testified twice, both times in private.

In excerpts from the first deposition, he called the proceedings “the greatest witch hunt in the history of our country,” and called the Democratic attorney general an “out of control prosecutor.”

During the second deposition he argued the whole case was “crazy” because “banks were all paid” and “made a lot of money” off his business.

First of several trials 

While there is no chance of imprisonment for Trump and his sons, they could still be fined up to $250 million and may lose their position as family firm managers.

Consequently, the judge mandated the dissolution of the firms in charge of overseeing the contested properties, which included Manhattan's Trump Tower, forty Wall Street skyscrapers, and the lavish Seven Springs private residence in the suburbs.

The high stakes for the former president are highlighted by the potentially far-reaching repercussions of that order, which is on hold while an appeal is filed.

The tycoon's daughter, Ivanka Trump, who left the Trump Organization in 2017 to work as her father's White House advisor, has also been asked to appear, potentially on Wednesday. She is not a codefendant in this case.

Since the New York trial started a month ago, Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nominee in 2024, has made irregular appearances. He has used these appearances to try to depict himself as the victim of a Democratic scheme to sabotage his White House candidacy.

One of the many legal challenges Trump has in his quest to reclaim the office is the civil fraud trial.

Trump, who was twice impeached while in the White House but was never found guilty, is scheduled to begin his trial in federal court in Washington in March. He is being charged with plotting to rig the 2020 election results, which he lost to Vice President Joe Biden.

His popularity in the polls has not decreased despite the circus surrounding his legal troubles in the media thus far.