'Pure performance art': Trump lawyer complains of punishment Engoron didn't impose
Former President Donald Trump’s attorney in his $364 million fraud trial issued a blistering response complaining about a penalty Judge Arthur Engoron did not inflict, according to a legal expert.
Chris Kise’s released two-page statement Friday bemoans Engoron’s decision to impose a corporate “death penalty” on the Trump Organization, which he asserts Trump will appeal.
The problem, as legal analyst Adam Klasfield noted, was, “The judge just reversed that part of his old ruling.”
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Indeed, Engoron only barred Trump from practicing business in New York for three years, despite Attorney General Letitia James’ request for a lifelong ban.
Such a ruling could be fatal for the Trump Organization, thus the nefarious “death penalty” nickname.
Yet Kise complains Engoron is ruining a profitable family business as part of a political witch hunt to take down the frontrunning Republican in the 2024 presidential race.
“[Engoron] twisted the evidence, and imposed a draconian and unconstitutional fine and a corporate ‘death penalty’ on President Trump, his family, and the extraordinary global business empire he developed over a lifetime of hard work and achievement,” writes Kise.
“Hard to imagine a more unfair process and hard to believe this is happening in America.”
Kise’s response was met with criticism of both his message and the copyediting skills of his public relations team.
“I bet they had these responses already prepared and just didn’t tweak them,” replied Karen James.
“Hard to understand how it’s ethical for an attorney to malign the legitimacy of a court like this,” added Lars Zanzibars
“So I guess fraud isn't fraud when it is highly profitable,” said Carol Sullivan. “Good to know.”
“This is Kise, desperately hoping this letter will encourage Trump to pay him for his legal services,” argued Mike Jacobs. “Pure performance art.”