The state’s top prosecutor ripped a page right out of the Donald Trump playbook — bashing the former president in a video rant posted on social media..
New York Attorney General Letitia James took the rare step of ripping Trump in footage posted on X during her ongoing $250 million civil fraud suit against the 77-year-old former president.
“Donald Trump often calls his business ‘perfect,’ and ‘beautiful’,” James said in the roughly minute-long social media bash Thursday night.
“But it’s clear that when it comes to running a company [Trump] doesn’t care about the real numbers or the facts. He is more interested in personal attacks and distractions.”
Trump — who attended the first two-and-a-half days of trial this week –– took every opportunity in front of press cameras and on his media platform Truth Social to personally attack James, the judge overseeing his case — and even the judge’s clerk, prompting a limited gag order.
“The reality is under our system of law, the facts matter,” James said. “And we will continue to make our case in court.”
In the video, James said testimony from the latest witness and co-defendant in the case, Jeffrey McConney — a former Trump Organization controller — only bolstered her case.
When questioned Thursday by AG lawyers, McConney admitted he and former Trump Org CFO Allen Weisselberg “used baseless property values to inflate Mr. Trump’s net worth,” James said. McConney’s testimony wrapped on Friday.
James’ case alleges Trump exaggerated the worth of his assets on yearly Statements of Financial Condition from 2011 through 2021 to get better loan and insurance terms — and for vanity, so he could move up on Forbes’ list of billionaires.
“The defendants like to act as though this case is very complicated when in fact the fraud they committed is simple,” James said.
Trump has repeatedly claimed the case is a political witch hunt and a “sham” — and has called the black attorney general a racist. He and his lawyers have also sought to discredit evidence and testimony that’s come out during the first week of trial.
Weisselberg is slated to take the witness stand Tuesday; Monday is a federal holiday. Former Trump lawyer and “fixer” Michael Cohen could potentially be called to the stand next week, since he’s listed two witnesses after after Weisselberg.
Cohen is a key witness in the case, saying in a deposition video played during opening statements Monday that Trump instructed him and Weisselberg to pump up the worth of his assets.
Trump’s lawyers have pointed out the AG’s case, in part, rests on the word of Cohen — a convicted felon and a liar.
Trump, sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr. — who are also defendants in the case — are likely to be called in coming weeks. Ivanka — who was dismissed as a defendant in the case — is also listed as a witness.