Trump Calls for Case Dismissal After He Claims Gov't Caught in 'Big, Fat Lie'
After his second straight day in court on Wednesday, former President Donald Trump deplored the trial that has been staged against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James as ridiculous.
“The government through its witness just got caught in a big, fat lie,” the GOP presidential frontrunner said.
“Frankly, this case should be dismissed. It should have never been brought. This case should have never been brought. This case should be dismissed. This is ridiculous what’s going on. And all you have to do is take a look at the record of the people in the room.”
Trump: “The government’s witness just got caught in a big, fat lie … This case should be dismissed.” pic.twitter.com/dzgv7TfU5n
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) October 18, 2023
The day featured the testimony of Donna Kidder, Trump company accountant, and certified real estate appraiser Doug Larson, who assessed Trump properties for lenders, the Associated Press reported.
Kidder testified that on Trump company financial spreadsheets she followed instructions to make some assumptions that would benefit the firm.
In his testimony, Larson testified that he had appraised a Wall Street building owned by Trump at $540 million in 2015 compared to former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney’s $735.4 million valuation.
However, Trump’s attorney Lazaro Fields asked Larson whether it was illegal for President Trump — or anyone for that matter — to value his own property.
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t know. … Not that I know of,” Larson responded.
Fields then confronted Larson about his Tuesday testimony in which he said that he had never worked with McConney or given him permission to be cited as an outside expert for valuations, WABC-TV reported.
“You lied yesterday, didn’t you?” Fields asked before another Trump attorney, Chris Kise, advised Larson that he was at risk for perjuring himself — a move that state lawyer Colleen Faherty labeled as “witness intimidation.”
Larson was then briefly escorted out of the room.
Fields then presented the court with an email from 2014 between McConney and Larson, which said, “I hate to be a pest, but the accountants are coming in tomorrow to go over my valuations. Any chance you can answer my question below?”
Kise told the court that based on the existence of the email, “[Larson] perjured himself yesterday, in my opinion.”
After acknowledging that the witness had been accused of perjury, the judge allowed Larson back on the witness stand, where he was again asked about his working relationship with McConney.
“You knew in 2013 that Mr. McConney was using the information you sent him, mainly the capitalization rates, to value the Trump properties?” Fields asked.
“I did,” Larson responded.
Trump was admonished by Judge Arthur Engoron when he spoke out loud to his attorneys at the defense table during the witness testimony.
Kevin Wallace, state attorney, said Trump’s comments were “audible on this side of the courtroom as well,” according to WABC-TV.
Trump made his remarks during a break in the trial, in which James is seeking $250 million.
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