Donald Trump vows to deliver closing remarks in fraud trial himself: report
Come Thursday, the culmination of the fraud case brought by New York attorney general accusing the 45th president of wildly hyping up the value of his properties and assets to procure favorable loans and deals, former president Donald Trump will reportedly be delivering some of the closing remarks.
Sources are telling ABC News that the ex-president, who last month made a last-minute decision to not appear as a witness for his own defense in the $370 million financial fraud trial, wants be in the mix when his defense team offers their closing arguments.
Trump as well as his grown sons Don Jr. and Eric, along with two former Trump Organization executives — have been defended by three main attorneys, Christopher Kise, Clifford Robert, and Alina Habba.
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But the sources inform ABC News that the candidate for the presidency wants to offer his own piece of their closing statement.
The hearing will be the last chance for both Attorney General Letitia James' state prosecutors and defense lawyers to make their cases before Judge Arthur Engoron.
All of the defendants have denied any wrongdoing.
Trump has been fiercely fighting on social media about the case and the judge, and racking up $15,000 in fines for violating a gag order meant to prevent all trial participants from commenting publicly on the judge’s staff.
Trump has claimed that his books are actually undervaluing his real estate portfolio and that his financial statements were perfect.
He blamed mistakes by others for the valuing his Trump Tower penthouse at nearly three times its actual size.
Trump has openly cast the case as politically fueled and blamed Democrats for trying to manipulate the legal system to try to thwart him taking back the White House.
Engoron already ruled in late September before the trial began that Trump and the Trump Organization were liable for fraud.
“In defendants’ world: rent regulated apartments are worth the same as unregulated apartments; restricted land is worth the same as unrestricted land; restrictions can evaporate into thin air; a disclaimer by one party casting responsibility on another party exonerates the other party’s lies,” Engoron wrote in his 35-page ruling. “That is a fantasy world, not the real world.”