Man, do events move fast in Trump world, faster than a hummingbird on steroids. Donald Trump was admonished on what he could say in front of the court when called to the stand and what he could not say. He totally ignored those directions, as is his wont to do. So his “testimony” on Thursday afternoon was cut short by a judge with a reputation for no BS in his courtroom.
Trump is headed into Giuliani world right now. He could be fined up to $10 million and that fine, along with the fine that Letitia James is seeking in the Trump Organization fraud trial (a verdict should be rendered by January 31) could force Trump into bankruptcy. The unteachable defendant lasted all of three minutes on the stand. Here’s a clip of a law professor reacting and then the brief transcript of what took place below.
Before his testimony began, senior U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan instructed Trump’s attorney Alina Habba that he could not longer deny the sexual abuse allegations established in last year’s trial — and asked her if she told her client that.
“Yes, your honor,” Habba replied.
“And you say that because you personally made him aware of those confines?” Kaplan said.
Trump then loudly interjected to his lawyer: “I never met this woman,” going into a side monologue.
“Mr. Trump, keep your voice down,” Kaplan said.
Asked if Trump will say anything other than proffer, Habba remarked she doesn’t have a “crystal ball,“ and Trump tried to speak again.
“Sorry Mr. Trump, you’re interrupting these proceedings by talking loudly while your counsel is talking,” Kaplan said again.
Habba was permitted three questions, before the jury entered the room and she declared: “The defense calls President Donald Trump.” The former president promptly took the oath.
Asked whether he stood by the first deposition, Trump replied: “100 percent, yes.”
After Habba asked if Trump denied the allegations because Carroll made the claim, Trump replied: “Exactly right,” before trailing off: “She said something. I considered it a false accusation,” prompting an objection. Kaplan sustained and struck the second part of the answer.
Asked if he wanted to hurt Carroll, Trump said: “No. I wanted to defend myself, my family, and frankly, the presidency.” Kaplan struck that too. With that, his direct examination was over, and his cross was similarly brief.
On his way out, Trump sneered at the spectators in the gallery and said, “It’s not America. It’s not America. This is not America.”
This is today’s episode of Donald Trump Goes Barking Mad, the soap opera in which America now lives. You and I are all unpaid extras in this extravaganza.
And this show could push Trump into bankruptcy seven. Or was it eight? Hard to keep track. Newsweek:
Donald Trump’s defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll could drive him to bankruptcy, attorneys have told Newsweek, particularly when combined with potential damages from his civil fraud trial.
A second defamation trial brought against the former president and GOP frontrunner by Carroll started last week. In May 2023, the journalist was awarded $5 million in damages after a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming the former Elle columnist. The former president has denied sexually assaulting Carroll at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in New York in the 1990s.
Carroll’s lawyers are seeking another $10 million in compensatory damages and “substantially more” after the former president continued to deny the accusations that he assaulted her, claiming he had no idea who she is and that Carroll was not his “type.” In May, Trump called Carroll’s account “fake” and labeled her a “whack job” during a CNN town hall broadcast. In early September, Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled that Trump’s comments against Carroll were defamatory.
As the trial continues, a number of legal experts said that the former president might risk bankruptcy if he is forced to pay high damages. It comes after Rudy Giuliani, a former Trump lawyer, declared bankruptcy in December after being ordered to pay $148 million for defamation.
Newsweek contacted a representative for Trump to comment on this story.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for an answer. Trump can’t control himself. He’s never been able to control himself. And self-control is not a lesson most people learn at 77 years of age.
When the jury reaches its decision and damages are publicized, the mad man-child will undoubtedly fly into a tantrum and flood his social media site with yet more defamatory statements. If they’re aimed not just at Carroll but also Judge Kaplan and the court, stand by for Carroll III, criminal contempt edition. And lest we forget, Judge Engeron’s decision is coming in about a week, another irresistible contempt opportunity.
How many felony charges will he rack up before he’s finally locked up? London bookies must be taking bets.
Please let this happen. He was screaming like a toddler with a dirty diaper and three vaccinations. Emotionally, he has a fever of 106.
What was that story about the frog and the scorpion he loved telling at his rallies?
He was telling us what he’d be like all along.
He seemed to like the poem about the snake also. To me it seemed like it was a warning to everyone that in the end he was going to bite everyone.
Phuck that nazi. He’s lucky to live at a time America enables the rich fascist rather than 1941-1945 where he’d be shot on sight. FACT.
Fact. No court would tolerate that shkit back then.
Humper better take a few deep breaths when the jury renders damages. Get him an oxygen tank and wheel chair. Christ.
And extra Depends and some room deodorizer.
Yes,,Donnie, this is America. We have a constitution that is the foundation of government, spelling out the general.way things are run. others are also laws,at state and fedsral.level which define crimes. If you are arrested based on evidence,,you get a trial where you are considered innocent until proven guilty. There are,also rules on behavior within a courtroom Most sane defendants obey them.
Of course, you believe none of them apply to YOU.
Well,,surprise, surprise, surprise.
They do.
You insulted the staff, the judge and Ms Carroll. Again and again. Be grateful she will only bankrupt you, because I suspect the judge and jury would have happily given her your balls in a jar of formaldehyde. Your pal Joni Ernst could have performed that service. After she has a lot of experience cast eating higs.