On Wednesday, the legal team representing former President Trump in his New York fraud case requested a mistrial, alleging that the trial judge and his principal law clerk have displayed bias against Trump, thereby compromising the fairness of the proceedings.
According to The Hill, in a 30-page motion, Trump’s counsel expressed concern that the perceived bias of Judge Arthur Engoron, demonstrated through posts on a Wheatley School alumni page that he appears to manage, could undermine the rights of the defendants and erode the integrity of the judicial system. The motion referred to New York code prohibiting judges from making public comments about ongoing court proceedings.
The filing also raised issues with Engoron’s principal law clerk, who has played a notable role in the trial and has been accused of acting like a “co-judge.” Trump’s legal team asserted that the clerk has been granted inappropriate latitude, including making partisan political contributions beyond legal limits, supporting groups opposing Trump and endorsing New York Attorney General Letitia James (D).
The document further claimed that Trump’s criticisms of the clerk led to a limited gag order, preventing any parties from discussing the judge’s staff. Trump’s social media post, particularly on Truth Social, falsely portrayed the clerk as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s “girlfriend” and disclosed personal information, prompting a strong denial from Schumer’s spokesperson.
As tensions escalated between Trump and the clerk, the judge’s frustration grew, culminating in an unexpected move to call Trump to the witness stand to explain his comments.
Responding to the mistrial request, a spokesperson for the New York attorney general’s office accused Trump of attempting to dismiss the truth and emphasized that evidence and facts would prevail despite such distractions.