NEW YORK, N.Y. (WRMT) – New York Judge Arthur Engoron denied an attempt by Donald Trump’s lawyers to seek a mistrial in his civil fraud trial Friday.
Trump’s legal team claims that Judge Engoron and his law clerk are biased against Trump, arguing that the gag order Engoron imposed is proof of bias because of Trump’s statements about the clerk.
Trump’s lawyers argued in their request for a mistrial that political donations by the clerk and Engoron’s relationship to his high school alumni newsletter showed partisan bias against their client, because it included news articles referencing Trump’s case.
Engoron dismissed the accusations and also rejected the argument that his clerk had any influence over him.
“Such arguments are nonsensical; and in any event, they are a red herring, as my Principal Law Clerk does not make rulings or issue orders — I do,” Engoron said.
The gag order previously place on Trump is on hold for now; a New York appellate judge temporarily lifted it on Thursday, citing concerns about “constitutional and statutory rights.”
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