Judge Arthur Engoron refuses to recuse himself from the fraud case against Donald Trump, which carries a $454 million penalty.
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Judge’s Decision
Trump's legal team requested the judge's recusal, alleging improper communications with real estate lawyer Adam Bailey prior to the ruling.
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Recusal Request
Engoron expressed confidence in his ability to remain impartial despite the allegations, stating that recusal would cause “immense prejudice” to the case.
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Judge's Confidence
Adam Bailey claimed he spoke with Judge Engoron about the case just before the verdict was issued, raising concerns of impropriety.
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Lawyer's Comments
The request for recusal followed an NBC report featuring Bailey's comments about his conversation with the judge.
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Media Coverage
Engoron described the conversation with Bailey as a brief “90-second incident” and dismissed it as a “nothingburger.
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Judge’s Response
The judge firmly stated that his rulings were not influenced or based on Bailey’s remarks.
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No Influence on Rulings
Engoron criticized Bailey's claims as “outlandishly, mistakenly, and defamatorily” asserting he based his decisions on the brief interaction.
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Defamation Claims
Engoron stated he has not been contacted by the Commission on Judicial Conduct regarding any investigation into the matter.
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Judicial Conduct Investigation
The case remains under appeal as Trump's legal team continues to challenge the fraud verdict and the judge's decisions.