'Nice try': Judge Engoron strikes down Trump lawyer's attempt at last-minute delay
Christopher Kise — the attorney representing former President Donald Trump in the ongoing New York civil fraud case — tried to throw another wrench in the works of the justice system currently ensnaring his client. However, the judge overseeing the case appeared to reject his argument outright.
MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin tweeted on Tuesday that Kise did a 180 on a statement yesterday in which he said he wouldn't play to file a motion attempting to delay Trump's upcoming testimony in the case until the appeals challenging Judge Arthur Engoron's gag order had been exhausted. Rubin tweeted an exchange she had with Kise in which she asked if Kise planned to "ask Judge Engereon[sic] to pause the trial so that President Trump's appellate rights can be vindicated." Kise indicated he didn't plan to do so, telling the reporter she was "probably smart enough to know where that would land," and that he tried "not to engage in futile efforts."
But on Tuesday, Rubin tweeted that "[Kise] still asked, and got a 'nice try' from Engoron."
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Trump is still appealing Judge Engoron's gag order, which he imposed in response to the former president's constant flurry of attacks against law clerk Allison Greenfield. Trump's posts about Greenfield reportedly resulted in the clerk getting a deluge of death threats from Trump supporters — many of them anti-Semitic in nature.
"Ms. Greenfield's personal information, including her personal cell phone number and personal email addresses also have been compromised resulting in daily doxing. She has been subjected to, on a daily basis, harassing, disparaging comments and antisemitic tropes," a court document detailing the threats read. "I have been informed by Ms. Greenfield that she has been receiving approximately 20-30 calls per day to her personal cell phone and approximately 30-50 messages per day on combined sites of social media, Linkedln and two (2) personal email addresses."
Engoron, who is overseeing the bench trial and will decide its verdict, already ruled that Trump was liable for fraud. The verdict will ultimately decide how much in financial penalties Trump should have to pay. New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking $250 million in damages, alleging that Trump knowingly and deliberately submitted false financial statements aimed at increasing the value of Trump's real estate portfolio in order to secure more favorable tax and insurance benefits.
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