Judge Arthur Engoron, who previously handed Trump a gag order for attacking a court clerk on social media, ordered the former president to quiet down after he expressed frustration and interrupted real estate appraiser Doug Larson’s testimony by speaking loudly to his legal team.
New York State lawyer Kevin Wallace had complained to Engoron, saying that Trump’s “exhortations” were distracting to those on the witness’ side of the room, the Associated Press reported.
A few hours later, a reporter for Law 360 reported that an unnamed woman had “walked up to the front of the [public] gallery, approaching ‘the well’ where Trump was seated.” She was immediately confronted by law enforcement, who told her to return to her seat then later led her out of the courtroom.
In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for New York State courts said the woman was a court employee who had since been placed on administrative leave. She was “yelling out to Mr. Trump indicating she wanted to assist him,” the spokesperson said.
Emphasis mine, but that’s an interesting choice of words. Usually someone would say the evidence shows or demonstrates they’re innocent. Or they might accuse the others of withholding or hiding evidence. But “made” sounds a lot like there was manipulated or manufactured information Trump was hoping that the case would rely on.
Perhaps he’s just referring to his “you can’t charge me, the President is immune to that” line or the cherry-picked property valuations. But it feels suspicious as all get-out.
For some reason, this reminds me of “The Royal Tennenbaums” when Royal is exposed for faking his cancer and he turns to his son and tries to convince him that it is a good thing because now he’s not going to die.
He basically talks like a third-grader, so I wouldn’t look at the choice in words like a smart person.
That said, if there is truly exculpatory evidence it would be given in discovery and can be discussed with witnesses on cross-examination. If there is actual evidence being hidden, I can’t imagine the judge or prosecutor would want to be associated with an appeal so basic.