Alina Habba bashed Judge Arthur Engoron during an interview Tuesday, claiming Trump’s civil court trial is being run like a «banana republic.»
Alina Habba, Donald Trump’s lead defense attorney in his business fraud trial, claimed that the New York judge presiding over the case «executed» the former president’s legal team before the trial even began.
Trump is facing a $250 million lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James over allegations that the former president inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to obtain financial benefits. Trump’s two eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as well as employees attached to The Trump Organization, are also listed as defendants in the case.
The former president was called to the witness stand to testify in the case on Monday, where prosecutors pressed Trump on the value of his properties and his role in their appraisals. Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the case, has already ruled that Trump and his co-defendants are liable for fraud, meaning the trial is concerning how much the Trump family will be ordered to pay in damages.
Monday’s hearing included several heated exchanges between Engoron and Trump’s legal team, including at one point when the judge asked Trump attorney Chris Kise to «control» his client as the former president gave long-winded responses to the prosecutors’ questions.
In another exchange, Habba stood up to defend Trump, stating that the Engoron needed to «hear what he has to say.
