By Jesus Garcia
Nov 16, 2023, 3:47 PM EST
NEW YORK.- An appeals court has temporarily suspended an order against former President Donald Trump and his lawyers, which prohibited them from talking about judicial personnel in the fraud trial in New York.
The decision occurred after an emergency request from the former president’s defense against Judge Arthur Engoron, whom they accuse of being biased in his decisions in the civil trial.
“Your extraordinary expansion of that order limits and paralyzes the defense on behalf of the petitioners and prevents the attorneys, under penalty of contempt, from presenting a record of misconduct and bias,” the attorneys say.
On November 3, Judge Engoron expanded the restraining order against Trump’s legal team, so that they avoid comment further on confidential communications between the judge and his staff inside or outside the courtroom.
“Since the beginning of this trial, my courtrooms have been inundated with hundreds of harassing and threatening phone calls, voicemails, emails, letters and packages,” the judge said. “The First Amendment right of defendants and their attorneys to comment on my staff is far outweighed by the need to protect them from threats and physical harm.”
Trump has criticized Judge Engoron, but has also attacked New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led the investigation that led to the fraud accusations.
However, the former president extended his attacks through his account on the Truth Social platform, where he even falsely accused Judge Engoron’s assistant as the girlfriend of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (New York).
Trump’s trial is to determine whether he should pay $250 million dollars, after Judge Engoron decided several weeks ago that the former president, his children and several employees of the Trump Organization committed fraud by lying about the true value of several properties. , in order to receive tax benefits and better conditions in bank loans and insurance.