In a surprising turn of events, former President Donald Trump declared on Sunday that he will not be testifying in his own defense at the New York civil fraud trial, a case that could potentially destabilize his real estate empire.
Trump, 77, was anticipated to take the stand on Monday as part of his defense against allegations made by New York Attorney General Letitia James. She has accused him of inflating his net worth by billions annually to secure more favorable loan and insurance terms.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump stated, "I have already testified to everything & have nothing more to say other than this is a complete & total election interference (Biden campaign!) witch hunt that will do nothing but keep businesses out of New York." He further added, "I will not be testifying on Monday."
Last month, during a heated testimony, Trump and his legal team had several confrontations with Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the non-jury trial. Trump also briefly took the stand in October when Engoron sought to question him about potential violations of a limited gag order that prohibited him and his lawyers from discussing the judge's court staff.
During this brief testimony, Trump denied referring to Engoron's chief law clerk, Allison Greenfield, when he stated, "This judge is a very partisan judge with a person who is very partisan sitting alongside him." However, Engoron rejected Trump's assertion that he was referring to Michael Cohen, his former attorney, who was testifying at the time. As a result, Trump was fined $10,000 in addition to a previous $5,000 fine for violating the gag order.
Despite not being legally required to attend the trial, Trump has been present for eight out of the 42 days of proceedings. His son, Eric Trump, was also expected to testify again in the defense case but ultimately did not.
Late last week, Trump's lawyers called upon expert witness Eli Bartov, a professor of accounting at New York University. Bartov is expected to conclude his testimony on Tuesday. He has told the court that "there is no evidence whatsoever for any accounting fraud" and asserted that James' case has "no merit."
Trump praised Bartov's testimony, describing him as "one of the greatest experts" and a "highly respected man." He further claimed that Bartov's statements indicated that he should not be found liable for fraud.
The former president, who is a frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, has consistently used his appearances in court to criticize Engoron, James, and the trial, alleging that he is the victim of a political witch hunt.
In a significant ruling before the trial began, Engoron found Trump liable for one of the main fraud claims made by the Attorney General's office. This decision resulted in the revocation of the Trump Organization's business licenses in New York, although this has been suspended until the trial concludes.
Following the conclusion of Bartov's testimony, the Attorney General is expected to present a brief rebuttal case. Engoron's verdict, which could have serious implications for Trump's real estate empire in the state, is not expected until late January.
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