Rep. Elise Stefanik adds a mistrial motion to her judicial ethics complaint against Judge Arthur Engoron in the civil fraud trial of former President Donald Trump.
Rep. Elise Stefanik, a member of House GOP leadership, has submitted new documents to her judicial ethics complaint against Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial in New York. Stefanik’s original complaint accused the judge of exhibiting bias against Trump and called for his recusal. In the latest development, Stefanik has attached the mistrial motion filed by Trump’s attorneys, accusing Engoron of bias. The judge, however, dismissed the mistrial bid, stating that Trump’s arguments were without merit.
Allegations of Judicial Bias and Political Contributions
In her original complaint, Rep. Stefanik accused Judge Engoron of displaying clear judicial bias against former President Trump. She argued that Engoron had infringed on Trump’s protected political speech and violated political contribution rules by making donations to Democrats as recently as 2018. Stefanik’s complaint called for Engoron’s recusal from the case.
Mistrial Motion and Allegations of Misconduct
Rep. Stefanik has now attached the mistrial motion filed by Trump’s attorneys to her ethics complaint. The 30-page motion, filed on Wednesday, claimed that Engoron had wrongly denied the mistrial bid. Stefanik argues that the mistrial motion provides further evidence of Engoron’s misconduct. She accuses the judge of egregious behavior and claims that he has been biased against Trump throughout the trial.
Engoron Dismisses Mistrial Bid
In response to Trump’s mistrial motion, Judge Engoron dismissed the bid, stating that the arguments put forth by the former president were “utterly without merit.” Engoron has been presiding over the bench trial, which means he will issue a verdict and determine any penalties resulting from the $250 million lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleges that Trump inflated asset values for financial gain. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
Stefanik’s Statement and Appellate Court Ruling
Rep. Stefanik issued a statement to NBC News, expressing her intent to supplement her ethics complaint against Judge Engoron. She claims that the mistrial motion highlights further misconduct by the judge. Stefanik also refers to a recent ruling by a New York appellate court, which overturned Engoron’s gag order on Trump, calling it blatantly unconstitutional. Stefanik’s complaint has been filed with the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Conclusion: The judicial ethics complaint filed by Rep. Elise Stefanik against Judge Arthur Engoron in the civil fraud trial of former President Donald Trump has taken a new turn with the addition of a mistrial motion. Stefanik accuses Engoron of bias and misconduct throughout the trial and calls for his recusal. However, the judge dismissed the mistrial bid, stating that Trump’s arguments lacked merit. The case continues, and Engoron will ultimately issue a verdict and determine any penalties resulting from the lawsuit. The outcome of the ethics complaint remains to be seen, but it adds another layer of complexity to an already high-profile trial.
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