Former President Donald Trump said Monday afternoon that "I think it's very unfair I don't have a jury” in remarks made after exiting the courtroom for his New York fraud trial, even though the reason he has no jury is because his lawyers elected not to.
Former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he leaves the New York State Supreme Courthouse ... [+]
Trump’s attorneys, acting on his behalf, waived his right to a jury trial earlier this year, according to online court records.
Trump also falsely said on Monday “we’re not entitled to a jury, which is pretty unusual in the United States of America.”
Trump was entitled to a jury, but his lawyers chose to have a bench trial, meaning the judge will make the final determination.
The New York Attorney General’s office is asking the judge to hand down $250 million in fines, bar Trump from making commercial real estate acquisitions for five years and ban him and his children from leading companies in New York.
In the civil trial, taking place in New York City, Trump is accused of defrauding banks, investors and other business partners by exaggerating the value of his assets in order to gain more favorable terms and agreements. State Attorney General Letitia James’ office, which is bringing the case, alleges Trump, his adult sons and the Trump Organization inflated his net worth by as much as $3.6 billion at times. Monday marked the first day of the trial. Trump attended in person, even though he wasn’t required to, generating a massive amount of media attention. Trump, who is the front-runner in the Republican presidential primary, has continually lambasted the trial, calling it a “sham” meant to derail his political prospects. Before the trial began, Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the case, found Trump and his business liable for fraud. He issued a ruling last week declaring that Trump and the Trump Organization had misstated the value of the company’s assets and ordered Trump’s business certificates to be canceled. The trial is scheduled to last as long as three months, but could end sooner depending on how it progresses.
The first day of the trial included opening statements that often got heated. Trump’s lead lawyer, Christopher Kise, said that the discrepancies in stated value of Trump’s assets had “no nefarious intent,” but rather “simply reflects the change in a complex, sophisticated real estate development corporation,” the New York Times reported. Kise added: “Banks and insurers know that the statements are estimates; they are not designed to be absolutes.” Kevin Wallace, attorney for James’ office, said: "Year after year, loan after loan, the defendants misrepresented Mr. Trump’s net worth to maintain those favorable interest rates,” CNN reported. The first day of trial also saw the first witness testify. Donald Bender, Trump's long-time accountant at Mazars USA, was summoned by the attorney general’s office, according to CNN. Bender testified that, on multiple occasions, he would flag errors in the Trump Organization’s financial statements. He is set to continue testifying on the second day of the trial Tuesday.
Trump Arrives In Manhattan Court As Fraud Trial Kicks Off (Forbes)
Did Judge Kill The Trump Organization? What Fraud Ruling Means For Ex-President’s Business (Forbes)
How Trump, Master Of Avoiding Paper Trails, Finally Got Caught With One (Forbes)
Trump’s Fraud Trial Starts With Attacks on Attorney General and Judge (New York Times)