New York, Nov 27
Former US President Donald Trump is moving "closer and closer" to "losing his own liberty" over his continued verbal and social media attacks on New York Judge Arthur Engoron and his staff on his $250 million civil fraud trials case in lower Manhattan courts, the media reported.
Trump is fast losing his advantage of being the frontrunner in the GOP nominations and polls predicting he is ahead in five swing states of incumbent President Joe Biden thus surrendering the advantage to Biden in the 2024 presidential race to the White House, Newsweek commented in a report in its latest issue released.
In the absence of a jury, as Trump's legal team has demanded, Judge Engoron has already ruled that Trump had orchestrated a tax and insurance fraud over a 10 year period and that his business licenses to conduct trade in New York be cancelled for which Trump had criticised him as a democrat launching a witch hunt.
Engoron twice fined him for violating the gag order but both gag order and cancellation of licenses in the New York are in abeyance by an appeals court pending his trial.
Appearing on MSNBC on Saturday, ex GOP veteran and former Congressman David Jolly said Trump's continued attempts to denigrate court officials in bringing the civil fraud trial against him, suggested he is inching closer to losing his personal liberties.
Jolly previously served as a GOP representative for Florida's 13th Congressional District, but has since left the Republican Party and become an outspoken opponent of Trump.
"In past years, his holiday messages have attacked socialists and Democrats and the deep state and this was an unhinged screed against prosecutors and judges and it gives you a little bit in terms of his state of mind," Jolly said.
"We continue to step closer and closer to Donald Trump possibly losing his own liberty either because of pre-trial behaviours and attacks on prosecutors and judges or a conviction."
Newsweek reached out to Trump's office via email for comment without getting a response.
Jolly also suggested on Saturday that Trump's tirades bode well for President Joe Biden's re-election chances, despite recent polls showing Trump in the lead. "I don't think he has a lead over Biden like the polls show because when people see his behaviour, they are reminded that he is an unstable, unhinged man, who should not be returning to the White House and that is enough to protect Joe Biden's lead going into a matchup," the former Congressman added.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has sued Trump and his family, including sons Donald Jr. Trump and Eric Trump, for $250 million, accusing them of frequently inflating Trump's own net worth and the value of his assets by billions of dollars from 2011 to 2021 to secure better deals and loans.
The Trump family dismissed the accusations and maintained their innocence, accusing prosecutors of being politically motivated and attempting to harm Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.
New York Judge Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing the case, ruled last month that Trump, his adult sons, their businesses, and executives committed fraud, for which they will be held civilly liable to an extent to be determined throughout the rest of the trial. The court will also rule on six other accusations, including falsifying business records, insurance fraud, and conspiracy claims.
Engoron himself will rule on the charges, as Trump's legal team did not opt for a jury trial. The result could see the former president and his family lose some of their famous properties and be barred from doing business in New York.
