by Brent Scher, Daily Wire:
The New York judge presiding over former President Donald Trump’s jury-free fraud trial is a lifelong Democratic donor who has spent thousands of dollars on partisan political contributions, according to campaign finance records.
Judge Arthur Engoron, who attracted ire on Monday after he appeared to pose for cameras during the trial, has contributed exclusively to Democrats over the past 25 years, most of them directly to his local Democratic Party committees. New York’s campaign finance database shows Engoron has contributed over $5,000 to candidates and committees, including most recently in 2018 to the Manhattan Democrats.
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Engoron has unique control over Trump’s legal fate. New York’s case against Trump is being carried out as a bench trial, meaning he will not only preside over the case, but will also determine guilt and sentencing. Engoron ruled last week that no trial was needed to determine that Trump had consistently committed fraud by overstating the value of his assets, and revoked Trump’s licenses to operate his New York properties.
Now the state wants Engoron to impose a massive $250 million penalty, and permanently banish Trump from doing business in New York.
Trump last week called Engoron a “deranged, Trump-hating judge” who should be disbarred. During a break in the proceedings on Monday, the former president complained that Engoron had already made up his mind on the case.
“We’re going to be here for months with a judge that already made up his mind. It’s ridiculous,” Trump said. “He’s a Democrat judge. He’s an operative. And it’s ridiculous.”
Contribution records show Engoron has contributed only to Democrats. Though most of his contributions went to local Democratic committees, he has also contributed to Democratic candidates such as former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, former Governor David Paterson, and several state lawmakers.
The partisan contributions will likely fuel allegations that this case is being brought for political reasons. Trump’s supporters argued on Monday after the footage of Engoron smiling in court that the New York justice system was being weaponized against political enemies.
