Trump Calls New York Fraud Trial a 'Disgrace'

Facts

• Former Pres. Donald Trump on Monday sat through hours of opening arguments in the New York lawsuit that accuses him of fraud and could potentially cost him control of some of his top properties.¹
• During a lunch break, Trump called the proceedings a 'disgrace,' a “scam,” and a 'sham' that’s part of the 'witch hunt' to prevent the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination from returning to the White House.²
• Trump, who is accused by New York State Attorney General Letitia James of inflating his assets to obtain favorable bank loans and lower insurance premiums, could face at least $250M in fines, a permanent ban from running his businesses in the state, and a five-year commercial real estate ban.³
• In a Manhattan courtroom, Kevin Wallace, a lawyer from James’ office, said Trump and his company engaged in 'persistent illegal acts' and that Trump overvalued his financial statements between $812M and $2.2B while knowing they were false.⁴
• Trump's attorney Alina Habba declared that Trump’s actions weren’t fraud but were reflective of the volatile real estate business. She said this case sets a 'very dangerous precedent' for businesses in New York.¹
• This case is proceeding after Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the non-jury trial, last week ruled Trump and his two oldest sons lied to tax collectors, revoking some of the Trump Organization’s business licenses.⁵

Sources: ¹Associated Press, ²FOX News, ³Reuters, ⁴NBC and ⁵Al Jazeera.

Narratives

• Pro-Trump narrative, as provided by Daily wire. Engoron is in fact a Democrat, so it's ludicrous that he's allowed to preside over this case and it's absurd to think Trump can get a fair trial in this situation. The Democrats aren't doing much to hide the fact that this is a continuation of the witch hunt against Trump and an attempt to derail his campaign. The only crime here is the one being committed against the former president.
• Anti-Trump, as provided by AlterNet. Don't take anything Trump says about this case seriously. When he calls the judge 'rogue' and the prosecutor 'racist,' and claims this case is election interference, he's acting with illiberal impulses. Trump's derogatory comments are comparable to those of some of the most dangerous authoritarian rulers of history, and if anything disqualifies him from returning to the White House it’s his disrespect toward the rule of law.

Predictions