Trump returns to New York courtroom for day two of fraud trial – live

Kevin McCarthy could imminently lose the title of Speaker of the House, as a vote to be called on the issue Tuesday appears to have enough Republican support to pass the lower chamber.

As lawmakers emerged from caucus meetings and spoke to reporters Tuesday morning on Capitol Hill, two things quickly became clear: Mr McCarthy does not have the support of enough Republicans to prevent the election of a new speaker, nor has he offered Democrats anything they would consider sufficient to bail him out for the second time in a single week.

Speaking to reporters, Mr McCarthy conceded that an effort led by Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz likely had the support of at least five Republicans — enough to pass the measure.

“If five Republicans go with Democrats, then I’m out,” Mr McCarthy said at a gaggle.

“That looks likely,” quipped a reporter in response.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC.

Judge Arthur Engoron said he is going to be firmer with break times after his 15-minute break turned into 20.

He asked each of Trump’s attorneys if they understood, and he said he would start on time whether anyone was there or not.

The judge also clarified that Team Trump doesn’t need to keep objecting to every single item and that a blanket objection is sufficient.

“I beg to differ from the advice that defendants have received,” he said.

Donald Trump continues to insist on Truth Social that he is only on trial because of the politicised deployment of a rarely used executive law and that it is all terribly unfair.

The rarely used Executive Law that the N.Y.A.G. is proceeding under is VERY UNFAIR, and being used against me for that reason. NY Executive Law 63 (12) does not require a victim, traditional elements of fraud are eliminated (the only such law!), the law allows a politically elected partisan prosecutor to convince a politically elected judge, who may be friends, to destroy even a Political Opponent. This law may not be Constitutional and is not FAIR, and that is why terrible A.G. James chose it to use against me!!!

The former president is also especially upset about the valuation of his prized Florida home, classified documents depositary, and members club, Mar-a-Lago…

Judge Engoron has been given false and grossly misleading information about my Net Worth by a lying and incompetent Attorney General, such as Mar-a-Lago being worth $18,000,000 when in fact the number would be much closer to 1.5 Billion Dollars, like other properties, including two that were recently sold for numbers many times those that were listed in the Financial Statements. The N.Y.S. Attorney General, therefore, committed FRAUD for Political and Election Interference reasons. This case should therefore be dismissed!

Here’s what he said outside the courtroom today:

As court takes a 15-minute mid-morning break let’s recap the major news of today so far…

Judge Arthur Engoron took a few minutes to clarify what happened at the end of yesterday’s hearing over the statute of limitations that Team Trump has argued apply. The judge makes clear that every use of a false statement of financial condition “starts the statute of limitations running again”.

Mr Trump’s attorneys argue that the relevant part is when the loan “closed”, but Judge Engoron reiterated that he rejected that theory.

He added that he is likely to “grant significant leeway to both sides” as to what is deemed relevant in the case.

Judge Engoron also said that the trial is not an opportunity to relitigate what he’s already decided, e.g. the ruling last week that granted a partial summary judgment in favour of New York Attorney General Letitia James.

So, while Team Trump claimed that 80 per cent of the case was now irrelevant — that is not the case.

Alex Woodward reports from the court:

After practically beaming after leaving court yesterday afternoon, falsely asserting that “80 per cent” of his case would be thrown out because of a statute of limitations on the claims, Trump did not look thrilled leaving just now moments after the judge shut down that suggestion.

Under questioning from Kevin Wallace with the AG’s office, Donald Bender repeatedly stated that the data used to compile statements of financial condition came from the Trumps, not from him or Mazars. Judge Engoron has already determined that those statements are fraudulent.

The AG’s questioning is pretty dry and reviewing each piece of evidence document by document, but the strategy is to show a pattern of fraudulent behaviour.

Anyone who regularly peruses Truth Social will be more than well aware of the ludicrous fan art of Donald Trump that his supporters create, often featuring lions, Revolutionary War themes, and… Biblical imagery.

So, it was no surprise that after a day in court on Monday, the former president shared a beautifully sketched but utterly bizarre picture of Jesus Christ sitting beside him.

Mr Trump then re-Truthed the post on his own Truth Social account.

Some of Mr Trump’s supporters appeared to agree that the sketch was a perfect evaluation of the first day of the civil trial.

Amelia Neath has the story.

Donald Trump‘s court appearances are no longer distractions from his campaign to return to the White House. They are central to it.

The dynamic was on full display Monday as the former president and GOP front-runner returned to New York for the opening day of a civil fraud trial accusing him of grossly inflating the value of his businesses.

Trump was under no obligation to appear Monday and did not address the court. But he nonetheless seized the opportunity to create a media spectacle that ensured he was back in the spotlight. And he once again portrayed himself as a victim of a politicized justice system — a posture that has helped him emerge as the undisputed leader of the 2024 GOP primary.

The scene was much like the one that has played out over and over since the spring as Trump has reported to courthouses and a local jail to be processed in four criminal indictments. Once again, reporters waited in line overnight to snag seats in the courtroom; news helicopters tracked his motorcade journey from Trump Tower to the courthouse in lower Manhattan; and cable networks carried the spectacle live on TV.

The appearance demonstrated how deftly Trump has used his legal woes to benefit his campaign. The former president’s Monday appearance drew far more attention than a standard campaign rally would have offered. And it gave Trump a fresh opportunity to rile up his base and gin his fundraising with claims that the cases he faces are nothing more than a coordinated attempt to damage his campaign.

Donald Bender from Mazars is back on the stand to continue his testimony as a witness for the prosecution.

Mr Bender is handed several documents by Kevin Wallace from the New York AG’s office, including an engagement letter, a supporting data spreadsheet and the statement of financial condition itself for the Trump Organization from 2012.

Trump lawyer Christopher Kise has objected to all of it over the statute of limitations. Judge Engoron is overruling each objection.

A similar thing happened for 2011 yesterday and they move on to 2013 as well. It is likely the process will play out for all subsequent years. Mr Kise is objecting to all of it.

Judge Artner Engoron took a few minutes to clarify what happened at the end of yesterday’s hearing over the statute of limitations that Team Trump has argued apply. The judge makes clear that every use of a false statement of financial condition “starts the statute of limitations running again”.

He added that he is likely to “grant significant leeway to both sides” as to what is deemed relevant in the case.

Judge Engoron also said that the trial is not an opportunity to relitigate what he’s already decided, e.g. the ruling last week that granted a partial summary judgment in favour of New York Attorney General Letitia James.