- Christopher Kise said a news report claimed the clerk was biased
- When pressed, he said it was published by the far-right website Breitbart
- The confession caused laughter and annoyance in the New York courtroom
Donald Trump’s lawyer clashed in court with the judge overseeing the $250 million fraud case in New York as he threatened to file for a mistrial over claims of bias against the former president.
But he only managed to make the courtroom laugh.
Before Eric Trump resumed his testimony Friday morning, Christopher Kise said, “I think the defense is going to have to seriously consider filing for a mistrial.”
He referred to a media report that said the clerk was accused of engaging in “partisan political activity.”
“We all have to take this very seriously because the whole world is watching,” he said.
Judge Arthur Engoron made short work of him.
Donald Trump’s attorney, Christopher Kise, said Friday: “I think the defense is going to have to think seriously about filing for a mistrial.”
“It’s not information, it’s an accusation,” he said at first. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’ll respond later.”
A prosecutor demanded to know more about the media report.
‘I’m not an internet person. I want to say maybe it’s on Breitbart. It’s on a news channel,” Kise replied.
His reference to a far-right website known for promoting baseless propaganda caused laughter in the public gallery.
Engeron said he would leave it to others to judge Breitbart’s reliability, before adding, “It’s a shame you have descended to this level.”
The court has already ruled that Trump and his company inflated the value of assets when they sought loans. The trial, which is expected to last until December, is largely about deciding what punishment they should receive.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking a $250 million fine, as well as a ban on Trump and his sons Eric and Don Jr. to own businesses in the state.
Trump himself will testify on Monday, followed by his daughter Ivanka on Wednesday. She is not a suspect in the case.
Meanwhile, Eric returned Friday morning for a second day of focused questions.
Former President Donald Trump’s son and co-defendant Eric Trump, second from left, and attorneys, from left, Alina Habba, Clifford Robert and Christopher Kise attend the Trump Organization civil fraud trial
The son of former US President Donald Trump and co-defendant Eric Trump talks to the media outside the courtroom on Friday
The second son of the former US president has testified in a New York court that he knew nothing about the financial estimates of residential towers, golf courses and other assets that a judge has already ruled were fraudulently inflated to obtain favorable terms from lenders and insurers.
But emails and other evidence introduced at trial show he was involved in decisions about the value of those properties.
Faced with more such evidence, Eric Trump said Friday that he did not remember many of these interactions or was only tangentially involved while he oversaw other aspects of the sprawling business.
“I pick up my phone at five in the morning and put it down at midnight. I have thousands of calls,” he said exasperatedly under questioning by State’s Attorney Andrew Amer.
Engoron previously rejected Ivanka Trump’s legal maneuver to prevent him from taking a stand in her father’s $250 million fraud trial next week.
The mother of three claimed that testifying would cause her “undue hardship” — noting that next week’s scheduled testimony falls in the middle of a school week.
Judge Arthur Engoron had already ordered Ivanka to testify in the case, while her lawyers asked an appeals court to overturn the decision.
But he denied a request from her legal team to suspend his decision while she appeals it to a higher court.