OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the civil fraud case involving former President Donald Trump, had a bomb threat at his Long Island home on Thursday morning, prompting police to respond.
The threat was made just hours before the trial was supposed to start and go into closing arguments. Whether or not Engoron was at home when a Nassau County bomb squad arrived Thursday morning to investigate is unknown, according to NBC News.
“We’re aware there was a bomb threat against Justice Engoron, said Al Baker, a spokesperson for the court administration.
One source said that the bomb squad and the police department of Nassau County, New York, were the ones that responded.
“We’ve had layers of security protocols in place since the onset of the proceedings. They will continue,” the spokesman said, adding that additional security measures have been put in place for Engoron’s safety. “We anticipate the proceedings to continue as planned.”
During a heated email exchange with Trump’s attorneys on Wednesday, Engoron denied Trump’s request to personally deliver part of the closing arguments, citing the former president’s refusal to commit to focusing solely on the facts of the case and refraining from personal attacks.
“You are not allowing President Trump, who has been wrongfully demeaned and belittled by an out of control, politically motivated Attorney General, to speak about things that must be spoken about,” Trump attorney Chris Kise wrote in an email to Engoron.
Engoron replied, “Take it or leave it. Now or never,” and gave Kise seven minutes to agree to his terms. Kise did not respond, prompting Engoron to say Trump won’t testify.
Earlier this week, Trump raged at Engoron in a series of posts on his Truth Social platform after his trial wrapped up and he awaited a ruling on whether he would be held financially liable for defrauding the state.
Engoron has already found Trump liable for overvaluing his business and personal properties to get more favorable bank loans and insurance rates.
Now, Engoron must decide whether to grant New York Attorney General Letitia James’ request that Trump be fined as much as $370 million and permanently barred from doing business in the state, up from a pretrial figure of $250 million.
Trump, along with other defendants such as his sons Donald Jr. and Eric, vehemently denies any wrongdoing. The former president, who is the leading contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, consistently characterizes the case as a politically motivated witch hunt orchestrated by James and other Democrats. He contends that the legal challenges are intended to hinder his prospects of reclaiming the White House. Trump is also facing four other criminal cases.
He wrote in all caps:
IF JUDGE ENGORON IS ALLOWED TO DISREGARD THE COMPLETE APPELLATE DIVISION VICTORY THAT WE HAD IN JUNE, THEN THE RULE OF LAW IN NEW YORK STATE, AND INDEED OUR COUNTRY, WILL NEVER RECOVER. THE JUDGE HAS SO DISRESPECTED THE COURT OF APPEALS, IN THAT HE CONSIDERS THIS BIGGEST OF ALL LEGAL EVENTS TO HAVE NEVER HAPPENED, THAT NEW YORK STATE, AND OUR NATION AS A WHOLE, CANNOT ALLOW THIS TERRIBLE WRONGDOING TO TAKE PLACE. THIS IS LAWLESSNESS BY A JUDGE THE LIKES OF WHICH OUR COUNTRY HAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE. A VICTORY IS A VICTORY! LET IT BE. FIGHT VIOLENCE ON N.Y. STREETS, AND STOP THE MASS EXODUS OF OUR PEOPLE, OUR BUSINESSES, & OUR WEALTH OUT OF OUR ONCE GREAT STATE, & INTO OTHER, FAR MORE HOSPITABLE ONES. MAKE NEW YORK STATE GREAT AGAIN!
Newsweek added: “Trump has said his financial statements actually underestimated the value of his properties, and that any overestimations were mistakes that made little difference to the overall picture of his wealth. He argued that disclaimers on the statements insulated him from liability for discrepancies or misstatements.”
A leading legal expert cautioned the judge presiding over Trump’s $250 million civil fraud trial in Manhattan, warning that his demeanor with the former president in court could come back to haunt him.
Attorney Michael Conway, who is a former House Judiciary Committee counsel, chided Judge Arthur Engoron over his language and behavior, citing in a column for MSNBC the trial of the so-called “Chicago 7,” as he reminded the judge “that the defendants in the notorious case went out of their way to antagonize Judge Julius Hoffman, which seems to be Donald Trump’s strategy in a case where Engoron has already found evidence of fraud.”
Conway further highlighted that during witness testimony, Engoron often clashed with both Trump’s legal team and the former president himself. Additionally, Conway mentioned that the use of profanity by Engoron is likely to become a focal point in any future appeal.
