Trump’s New York Civil Drama Takes a Quirky Turn: Judge Imposes Gag Order as Trump’s Social Media Fingers Get Too Talkative!

Looks like the courtroom drama turned into a social media spectacle! Trump’s post had all the ingredients: a judge’s clerk, a side of Schumer, and a dash of misinformation. The judge, not one for the drama, threw down a digital curtain and said, “Let’s keep this offline, folks.” It’s like a legal thriller unfolding on your feed. Wonder what other twists this trial has in store!

Trump’s in court for day two of a trial accusing him and his company of cooking the books for some financial gain. It’s your typical legal showdown, right? Well, not quite.

At around 1 p.m., the courtroom takes a breather for lunch. When everyone clears out, something fishy happens. Attorneys sneak back in, reporters get the boot for about 15 minutes, and it’s all hush-hush.

Meanwhile, Trump and his legal crew make an exit. Just as they leave, poof! The post about this Greenfield person disappears from Trump’s website. Cue the mystery music.

Now, Greenfield is no background character. She’s been Judge Engoron’s right-hand person for years, usually grilling lawyers on his behalf. She’s got this back-and-forth thing going on with Trump’s legal team, sparring over New York law stuff. But here’s the kicker—she hasn’t jumped into the ring during the trial yet. Drama, much?

In this legal soap opera, you can’t help but wonder what’s next. Is Greenfield gearing up for her moment? Who pulled the strings on that disappearing post act? The courtroom’s turning into a real-life episode of Law & Order, and we’re all waiting for the next juicy twist.

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Trump’s Digital Drama Unplugged

Even though we’re not sure what went down in the private meeting with the judge on Tuesday, Trump’s social media posts taking aim at prosecutors, judges, and others involved in his criminal cases are causing a stir in court.

In August, special counsel Jack Smith, handling Trump’s federal cases, asked Judge Tanya Chutkan to limit what the ex-president can say about the case involving alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Prosecutors claimed Trump’s posts on Truth Social were trying to sway potential jurors and scare witnesses.

Smith wanted an order to stop Trump from talking about the “identity, testimony, or credibility of prospective witnesses” and making any “disparaging and inflammatory, or intimidating” comments. He pointed to a post where Trump said, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you!”

Trump’s lawyers called the request an attempt to silence him by the Biden administration.

Judge Chutkan hasn’t decided yet, but in an August 11 hearing, she warned Trump’s lawyers that his defense should happen in the courtroom, not on the internet. She said making more “inflammatory” statements could speed up the trial to protect potential jurors.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep these proceedings fair,” Chutkan stated.

Trump’s New York civil fraud trial is a real nail-biter

In the New York legal showdown, Engoron dealt Trump a blow last week by ruling against him and co-defendants on a business fraud charge. The focus now shifts to the remaining allegations—accusations of falsifying records, issuing false financial statements, and conspiracy.

Trump, the Trump Organization, top executives, and his children, Donald Jr. and Eric, face these charges in the civil trial at New York Superior Court. Jail time is off the table; these are civil, not criminal charges.

Trump made a fiery entrance on the trial’s first day, condemning James and Engoron, branding the case a “witch hunt” and a “disgrace” outside the courtroom, where a bustling crowd gathered to witness the legal drama.

Trump, his sons, ex-Trump Organization CFO Alan Weisselberg, and Jeffrey McConney, the Trump Organization controller. According to Wallace, Donald Jr. and Weisselberg played crucial roles in valuing the Trump real estate empire. Trump, up until 2016, certified statements and oversaw the company, with his sons taking over after his presidential win. McConney, as per Wallace, joined in passing statements to lenders.

During depositions, the defendants, including the Trump sons and the former president, denied knowledge of fraudulent preparations, as revealed by Wallace through video clips.

Trump’s defense takes center stage

Chris Kise, once Florida’s solicitor general and now defending Trump and his company, offered a counter-narrative after Wallace’s opening act.

“You’ve heard an interesting story from the government. Needless to say, we have a different interpretation,” Kise asserted.

He kicked off by reiterating objections to evidence related to time-barred contracts. The financial statements submitted to banks, representing only a fraction of the business empire, were “true and accurate in all material respects,” Kise insisted, emphasizing the crucial role of materiality.

According to Kise, Trump’s financial conditions statement adhered to a different accounting standard, ASC 274, allowing latitude for estimated current values—nothing sinister, he argued. He labeled Cohen, a “serial liar,” and criticized the government for basing its case on his testimony.

Kise promised expert testimony from a NYU professor challenging the case’s essential elements. Another expert would argue that valuation disagreements don’t equal fraud.

Disclaimers on financial statements informed banks of differing valuations, Kise noted, emphasizing that banks conducted their own analyses.

Alina Habba, another Trump attorney, entered after a brief break. Accusing the attorney general of attacking Trump, she defended the property valuations, criticizing the judge’s reliance on a tax assessment for Mar-a-Lago.

The case, she argued, sets a dangerous precedent for New York business owners, stressing that property value is what someone is willing to pay, not a tax assessment.

Clifford Robert, representing Eric and Donald Jr., argued James couldn’t prove repeated and persistent illegal acts, emphasizing their reliance on others’ work and claiming, “They were not the ones with the green accounting hat on.”