Former President Donald Trump has fiercely criticized New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron, accusing him of being a “political hack” and engaging in “weaponized lawfare” during the civil fraud trial against Trump and the Trump Organization.
The trial, under close scrutiny, has become a focal point of political and legal controversy, with Trump and his allies alleging bias and unfair treatment by the judge and court officials.
In a recent post on his Truth Social account on December 19, 2023, Trump accused Judge Engoron of hindering him and his legal team from presenting crucial information to the public and the courts, branding the trial as a “rigged court” within a “rigged New York State system.”
The former president’s criticism of Judge Engoron has been relentless, asserting that the judge’s actions have undermined the legal process’s integrity and violated his constitutional rights
The civil fraud trial, presided over by Judge Engoron, has been contentious, marked by the judge issuing a partial gag order on Trump following disparaging remarks about a law.
Consistently ruling against the former president, the judge’s expanded gag order has escalated the legal battle and heightened political rhetoric surrounding the case.
In response to allegations of bias and unfair treatment, Republican Representative Elise Stefanik lodged a judicial ethics complaint against Judge Engoron, accusing him of “weaponized lawfare” and “clear judicial bias” against Trump.
Stefanik urged the judge to recuse himself, citing concerns about due process and equal protection under the U.S. and New York Constitutions.
The controversy surrounding the trial and Judge Engoron’s handling of the case has raised broader questions about the independence and fairness of the legal system.
Trump’s persistent criticism and the filing of a judicial ethics complaint by a prominent Republican lawmaker have further politicized the trial and the judiciary, plunging both sides into a high-stakes battle over the case’s outcome.
