Former US President Donald Trump is not authorized to present closing arguments in his civil trial over fraud allegations. Trump's lawyers objected to instructions from New York Judge Arthur Engoron that their client should stick to relevant topics. The court then withdrew the license.
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The judge demanded that Trump limit his appeal to the topics that lawyers cover in their appeals: facts, evidence and application of the law. He will not allow campaign speeches or attacks on judges, prosecutors and judicial officials.
Trump lawyer Christopher Kise called the rules unfair. His client couldn't agree with them. “You are not allowing President Trump, who has been unfairly humiliated and belittled by an out-of-control and politically motivated Attorney General, to talk about the things that need to be talked about,” he complained to Engoron in an email.
The judge, however, announced that he would not be involved in any further debate. He assumes that Trump will not follow the rules and therefore will not be allowed to speak.
Hundreds of millions of dollars in fines
Trump is accused of deliberately exaggerating the size of his assets in financial reports in order to obtain loans and deals for his real estate empire. Trump's sons, Eric and Donald Jr., would also be involved. Trump could be fined hundreds of millions of dollars. He also faces a ban on doing business in New York.
In October, Engoron had already sentenced Trump to a fine of 15 thousand dollars (around 13,700 euros) for making statements about the private life of a judicial official.
Former US President Donald Trump is not authorized to present closing arguments in his civil trial over fraud allegations. Trump's lawyers objected to instructions from New York Judge Arthur Engoron that their client should stick to relevant topics. The court then withdrew the license.
The judge demanded that Trump limit his appeal to the topics that lawyers cover in their appeals: facts, evidence and application of the law. He will not allow campaign speeches or attacks on judges, prosecutors and judicial officials.