The passing of Melania’s mother didn’t prevent Donald Trump from holding a campaign event in Iowa Wednesday night.
Or hosting a press conference outside of a New York City courthouse Thursday afternoon, following the conclusion of his $370 million fraud trial.
But it should’ve propelled the case’s judge, Arthur Engoron, to delay closing arguments, according to upset Republicans.
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Huh?
“This trial has been a joke from the beginning and not delaying it because of a death in the immediate family only solidifies Judge Engoron’s political agenda,” tweeted Montana Senator Steve Daines.
“These people are soulless,” cried Alabama senator Tommy Tuberville, who blocked most military promotions for the bulk of 2023.
“Can our ‘justice system’ stoop any lower,” asked Texas rep., and former White House doc, Ronny Jackson.
One of Trump’s lawyers asked Engoron Tuesday if closing arguments could be delayed until January 24 due to the passing of Melania’s mother, Amalija Knavs. Judge Engoron replied he was “sorry to hear the sad news,” but couldn’t fulfill the request.
Trump and his allies frequently attacked Engoron and his law clerk throughout the civil trial, which covered how Trump routinely falsified financial statements to secure better loans and insurance policies. New York Attorney General Letitia James is asking for $370 million in damages, and for Trump to never be allowed to operate a business in the state again.
Engoron and his clerk say they’ve faced a “deluge” of threats due to Trump’s extreme rhetoric. At one point, Judge Engoron imposed a gag order on Trump, barring him from commenting on court personnel.
But that didn’t stop Trump from targeting Engoron. On Thursday morning, someone threatened to blow up the judge’s house.
On Wednesday, Engoron told Trump’s attorneys the disgraced ex-president would only be allowed to speak in closing arguments if he stuck to the facts of the case.
Unsurprisingly, that did not happen.
Trump disregarded Engoron’s instructions Thursday, speaking from the defense table for nearly five minutes before the judge cut him off. Trump ranted and raved about “political witch hunts” and “election interference” but failed to offer an actual defense…outside of saying his “financial statements are perfect” and he secured “great loans.”
“Mr. Kise, please control your client,” Engoron said to Trump attorney Chris Kise.
When the proceedings ended, Trump lawyer Alina Habba, who’s seemingly replaced Melania in recent months, ranted to reporters about the motivations behind the case.
Trump stood behind her before speaking himself. Next week, he’ll be back in court for his defamation trial against E. Jean Carroll (a judge already found Trump was liable for making defamatory statements about Carroll, who says he sexually assaulted her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store in the mid-1990s).
Following his screed, Trump exited towards a cheering crowd of supporters… or plants. Either one.
get a load of Eric Trump here pic.twitter.com/VobAxnZQd9
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 11, 2024
Trump first disclosed his mother-in-law’s illness on New Year’s Eve, when he said her condition prevented Melania from attending the party.
Trump, of course, couldn’t be bothered to comfort Melania or her mom. He stayed at Mar-a-Lago and partied with his sycophants and Vanilla Ice.
Melania’s mother passed away Tuesday, and less than 24 hours later, Trump was back on the campaign trial. He hosted a Fox News town hall Wednesday night.
Yet, Jim Jordan called Engoron “disgusting” for holding closing arguments the following morning.
New York Rep. Claudia Tenney took her insult one step further, calling Engoron “contemptible.”
As pointed out, these arguments would carry more weight if Trump displayed any affection towards Melania…ever. Because at this point, they just seem like the latest disingenuous ploy.
That would never happen, right?
abfab
His Bond Girl. What a stinking POS. The ugly American. Able to con people who think they are smart. White trash will believe anything. Just fu kking die already, please.
barryaksarben
hardly a Bond girl unless its a bail bondsman. I suppose they will bury her other either with his dead first wife at the golf course tax evasion airport, steakhouse college and all named trump
abfab
Tommy Tuberville. Discuss.
barryaksarben
Total pos dumb as dirt racist southern good ol boy who is a shitstain on our nations congress. and I am being too kind. Put our nation in danger by trying to force his fake christian beliefs as if we were dumb college jocks he had zero respect for.
Fahd
It’s a civil case; Fraudney Dangerfield didn’t have to be in court, and his case would have been better served, if he hadn’t been there, but the publicity.
Somehow, I didn’t expect these unrepentent political tagalongs on his long con suddenly to proclaim that the judge was a great guy who conducted a “very, very fair” trial. Let’s hope the unhinged don’t actually harm the judge or others associated with the trial.
I’d say his “business empire” has some rough trails ahead.
Jim
Good point he preferred to air his grievance then comfort Melania
Jim
We all know that Donald doesn’t care about the death of his MIL.
Oh he’ll use it if he can, but he wouldn’t attend Melanie’s funeral if it interfered with his golf game.
His children’s funerals are doubtful too
Chrisk
Yeah, we all saw how Evanka was treated on his Golf course.
Stefano
And the circus goes on. The head clown performs. Are you sure there’s nothing better than those clowns in your country of 340 million inhabitants?
abfab
Positive.
Stefano
@abfab : Sorry, but I doubt it very much.
My2CentsWorth
Don’t know what nation you live in but you seem to be lucky enough to not be living in the U. S., which will likely end up with Trump as president.
ZzBomb
The correct answer to all the right wing whining over this:
“I don’t care, do you?”
barryaksarben
nice
LumpyPillows
Using Melania? I think she’s used to it.
trell
I got to admit, I didn’t listen to the spray-tan turd’s closing comments, but I would assume that if he was that concerned about mother-in-law’s recent passing, and Meliana’s ‘grief’, that he might have mentioned it….
…..or was it just more “Me, me, me”?