Oct. 4 (UPI) — Former President Donald Trump appeared in a New York court Wednesday for the third day of his civil fraud trial.
Arriving at court, he railed against the state’s district attorney, calling her “a political animal” and the reason “why New York State is failing.”
Trump’s legal team notified the New York state appellate court of their intent to appeal the $250 million fraud case a day after Judge Arthur Engoron issued a partial gag order in response to a social media post Trump made Tuesday against one of the court’s staff.
Trump had posted an image of one of the court staff meeting with Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
“This morning one of the defendants posted on a social media account a disparaging, untrue and personally identifying post about a member of my staff. Although I have since ordered the posted deleted and apparently it was, it was also emailed out to millions of other recipients,” Judge Engoron said.
The partial legal order bars Trump from disparaging members of the court staff.
On his way into court on Wednesday, Trump criticized New York Attorney General Letitia James as “a political animal.”
“You borrow money, you pay it back and you get sued by a political animal, and that’s where we are and that’s the way it goes, and that’s why New York State is failing, and that’s why companies are leaving by the thousands,” Trump told reporters Wednesday.
Engoron reminded Trump’s legal team that there was no jury present in the case due to the nature of the civil charges brought against him after Trump lawyer Jesus Suarez called the credibility of one of the witnesses, accountant Donald Bender during cross examination.
Suarez questioned why Bender had made previous statements claiming someone else had been the lead partner on Trump account.
“There’s no jury in here, I don’t think it matters that much whether somebody was the lead partner, or is not the lead partner, who signed it. I think it’s easiest just to move on,” Judge Engoron told Suarez.
Trump appeared to become agitated during cross-examination though his attendance at the trial has been voluntary.
