New York Judge Caught Smiling During Trump Trial Is Lifelong Democrat Donor

The New York judge presiding over former President Donald Trump’s jury-free fraud trial is a lifelong Democratic donor who has spent thousands of dollars on partisan political contributions, according to campaign finance records.

Judge Arthur Engoron, who attracted ire on Monday after he appeared to pose for cameras during the trial, has contributed exclusively to Democrats over the past 25 years, most of them directly to his local Democratic Party committees. New York’s campaign finance database shows Engoron has contributed over $5,000 to candidates and committees, including most recently in 2018 to the Manhattan Democrats.

Engoron has unique control over Trump’s legal fate. New York’s case against Trump is being carried out as a bench trial, meaning he will not only preside over the case, but will also determine guilt and sentencing. Engoron ruled last week that no trial was needed to determine that Trump had consistently committed fraud by overstating the value of his assets, and revoked Trump’s licenses to operate his New York properties.

Now the state wants Engoron to impose a massive $250 million penalty, and permanently banish Trump from doing business in New York.

Trump last week called Engoron a “deranged, Trump-hating judge” who should be disbarred. During a break in the proceedings on Monday, the former president complained that Engoron had already made up his mind on the case.

“We’re going to be here for months with a judge that already made up his mind. It’s ridiculous,” Trump said. “He’s a Democrat judge. He’s an operative. And it’s ridiculous.”

Contribution records show Engoron has contributed only to Democrats. Though most of his contributions went to local Democratic committees, he has also contributed to Democratic candidates such as former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, former Governor David Paterson, and several state lawmakers.

The partisan contributions will likely fuel allegations that this case is being brought for political reasons. Trump’s supporters argued on Monday after the footage of Engoron smiling in court that the New York justice system was being weaponized against political enemies.

“To the Left, there are only allies or enemies,” said Stephen Miller, a former adviser in Trump’s White House. “And the more they judge someone the latter, the more they will weaponize the ‘justice’ system against them. This is our brave new world.”

“I’ve never seen anything more inappropriate in my life,” Jesse Binnall, an attorney for Trump but not in the New York fraud case, said during an appearance on Newsmax.

Legal commentator Jonathan Turley also questioned the political motive behind Engoron’s decision to allow cameras in the room in the first place.

“People looking at this picture right now will be either filled with rage or thrilled, and that’s a problem,” Turley said as footage rolled that showed the jovial judge smiling in court. “They’re insisting this trial occur during an election. Many people find it troubling.”

Jonathan Turley is "surprised" to see Trump on camera in the courtroom.

"People looking at this picture right now will be either filled with rage or thrilled and that's a problem. They're insisting this trial occur during an election. Many people find it troubling." pic.twitter.com/fFfc4HtbHy

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 2, 2023

Trump holds a commanding lead in the Republican primary, and is widely expected to be the party’s candidate in 2024. He is also facing legal trouble across the country, including a federal probe related to his handling of classified documents, and charges in Georgia based on claims that he violated the state’s anti-racketeering law through his attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Engoron in 2022 said Trump invited legal cases against him because he was “just a bad guy.

A spokesman for the court did not respond to a request for comment on the donations.

White House Refuses To Comment On Jamaal Bowman Pulling Fire Alarm

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to comment on a Democratic lawmaker who pulled a fire alarm over the weekend in a House office building as House Democrats were looking to delay voting on a Republican short-term spending bill to keep the government open.

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), who has admitted to pulling the fire alarm, is under investigation by U.S. Capitol Police and by congressional investigators over the incident. He claims that he pulled the fire alarm because he was trying to get out of the building to go vote and that he thought that pulling the alarm would open the door.

A reporter asked Jean-Pierre about the matter during Monday’s White House press conference after it gained significant attention over the weekend.

“Would President Biden ever try to get out of a meeting by pulling a fire alarm?” the reporter asked as people in the room, including Jean-Pierre, chuckled.

“Are you talking about something specifically?” KJP asked.

“A Democratic member of Congress pulled a fire alarm around a series of votes,” the reporter responded. “No fire. Is that appropriate?”

“What I can tell you is I have not [talked] — spoken to the President about this,” Jean-Pierre answered. “And so, just not going — just not going to comment. I will leave it up to — I know there’s a House process moving forward right now. I’ll leave it to the House.”

WATCH:

KJP to Doocy on Bowman pulling the fire alarm: "What I can tell you is I have not talken [sic]–spoken to the President about this & so, just not going to comment. I would leave it up to–I know there's a House process moving forward right now. I would leave it to [them]." pic.twitter.com/F22O0Z8DTZ

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 2, 2023

Related: Bowman’s Office Urged Democrats To Distract From Fire Alarm Incident By Calling Republicans ‘Nazis’

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