Donald Trump bailed on his New York court hearing early Tuesday, ABC News' live blog reported – just a few hours after he hit out at former lawyer Michael Cohen for being a no-show.
Cohen had been due to give testimony in the fraud trial Tuesday, but on Friday announced he had to delay the hearing because of a medical issue.
Trump's translation was that he "didn't have the guts" to face him.
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ABC News reported that Trump didn't reappear after a mid-afternoon break, leaving his lawyers alone for the cross-examination of a real estate appraiser.
The trial is hearing arguments that Trump and his two adult sons inflated the value of their properties in order to secure loans and other deals. Judge Arthur Engoron has already ruled that the defendants are liable for fraud, so the hearing is primarily about assessing damages and answering outstanding questions. New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking $250 million in fines and a ban on Trump from doing business in the state of New York.
Trump had also been scheduled on Tuesday to appear for a deposition in a lawsuit brought by former FBI agents Peter Strzok and Lisa Page. It's not clear if he left the fraud trial to attend that.
"Strzok filed suit against the Justice Department and the FBI in 2019, claiming his First Amendment rights were violated when he was wrongfully terminated the year before over private text messages with Page that reflected anti-Trump sentiments," said the ABC News report.
Earlier on Tuesday, legal reporters questioned why Trump was in court when he was scheduled to be at the deposition. He didn't give a straight answer.
Cohen was expected in court this week, but his testimony was delayed because he said he was dealing with a painful injury. He told Raw Story in a statement he fully intends to appear before the trial is over.
