LaffyWhen does he NOT look “glum”?
Via Adam Klasfeld:
#Trump enters the courtroom for the start of his $250M civil fraud trial.
He's flanked by his lawyers, looking glum, and taking slow, deliberate steps before sitting at the defense table. 1/…
2/ Klasfeld, cont’d:
Key piece of context:
Justice Engoron just noted in court that "nobody asked for" a jury trial, which is why he'll be presiding over Trump's $250M civil fraud case without one. #TrumpTrial #TrumpIndictment #NewYork
3/ Klasfeld:
NYAG's opening statement is about to begin.
Counsel Kevin Wallace takes to the podium.
Wallace trumpets the AG's recent win out the gate:
"At this point, the People have already proven that the statements of financial condition of Donald J. Trump" were false each year from 2011 to 2021.
4/ (I forgot this one, sorry):
Engoron notes that he had vowed to kick off trial today "come hell or high water," and quips that, "meteorologically speaking," we've had the "high water."
Any New Yorker gets the reference to our massive flooding on Friday.
6/ Klasfeld:
NOW
The NYAG plays footage of Eric Trump's deposition in court, saying that he denied responsibility for the statements of financial condition.
7/ The NYAG then queues up footage of Donald Trump Jr.'s deposition in court, also denying responsibility for the statements of financial condition.
The Trump family's lawyer Clifford Robert objects to it being played.
Engoron denies.
NYAG plays Trump's deposition, also avoiding responsibility for the statements of financial condition (SFCs).
Q: "Was Allen Weisselberg responsible for that?"
Trump: "I would say yes."
8/ Sidebar. THIS.
Via Sherrilyn Ifill:
The judge should ask Trump to rise and repeat before him the words he uttered outside the courtroom. “I understand you have a concern about this court and about the prosecutor that you wish to share? Is it something you wish to tell me directly?”
9/ Via @emptywheel:
Nice that Trump has family in the court room today; he rarely has had family support as he faces accountability.
Mind you, it helps that the Sons are co-defendants.
10/ Oof.
Klasfeld:
NYAG plays a deposition of
Michael Cohen, testifying that Trump wanted to be higher on the Forbes list.
He says that Allen Weisselberg and Cohen were tasked with inflating the numbers for that purpose. and Michael Cohen
NYAG displays a slide of testimony by Patrick Birney, a Trump Org exec.
It's titled: "Donald 'Likes to See It Go Up,'" referring to his net worth.
11/ Wallace asks why Trump and his co-defendants sought in their SFCs "[b]eyond just a place on the Forbes billionaire's list."
He answers his own question: Trump used the SFCs to "secure favorable terms" on loans.
12/ Wallace targets Trump's lack of harm theory:
"These are not victimless crimes."
Trump forced the banks to take unnecessary risks based on false SFCs, the NYAG's lawyer says.
13/ 🙄
Defense opening statement begins.
Chris Kise hits the NYAG's "story."
"We think the evidence is going to establish a few things: First that President Trump has made billions of dollars" making one of the most successful brands in the world.
14/ Kise says that the loan transactions were "successful" and "profitable."
"The banks made well over a hundred million dollars," he says.
15/ Earlier, Kise slammed Michael Cohen as a "serial liar," noting his conviction for lying to Congress (for Trump) and arguing the government's conspiracy case rests on him.
Just earlier, NYAG's lawyer Kevin Wallace said that Cohen's account is backed by documents and witnesses.
Kise said that the individuals involved in the loan decisions will testify.
16/ We're back:
Alina Habba addresses the court, going after NYAG, whom she says set out to "go to work, get Trump and go home."
She also swiped at Cohen as a "liar."
17/ (All my reporting is coming via Klasfeld, btw, unless otherwise attributed)
Habba said that Justice Engoron found that Mar-a-Lago was worth $18M.
(Note: He didn't. He cited the appraiser's valuation from 2011, not its current value, and noted that the estimate rose incrementally for a decade.)
18/ Habba added, accurately, that government valuations for appraisals are different from market values.
19/ Sidebar.
Via Rupar:
Trump's Truth Social feed today is a relentless attack on the officials involved in his fraud case
[I won't post the word-slaw here, but it's what you think]
20/ Lol, more like trying to understand them. He's an idiot.
Klasfeld:
During Alina Habba's address, Trump looks at her directly, paying close attention to her remarks.
21/ Justice Engoron responds to Habba's attack on NY State
AG, noting that he denied Trump's claims of political motivations.
At the time, Engoron said not investigating Trump would have been a "blatant dereliction of duty."
22/ Klasfeld:
The judge also noted that his rulings advancing the case to trial have been affirmed on appeal.
BTW, I'll be boosting @[email protected]'s additions to my thread. He's providing great info that aren't included in my stuff.
RazzleDK@GottaLaff It's like Trump's lawyers are at a different trial....one with a jury they can convince that Trump is actually a victim.
Coach Pāṇini ®@GottaLaff the “audience of one” vibe, but in-person
Kevin Leecaster@GottaLaff
It seems to me that the reason that orange chump is paying Alina Habba millions of dollars is because he likes to look at her.
It seems to me that the reason that orange chump is paying Alina Habba millions of dollars is because he likes to look at her.
@GottaLaff
According to @jimstewartson Habba may be Trump's lawyer because she has ties to the Knights of Malta, which is possible perhaps but idk.
According to @jimstewartson Habba may be Trump's lawyer because she has ties to the Knights of Malta, which is possible perhaps but idk.
joe•iuculano 
cakemix@GottaLaff Mmmm Cole slaw....
oh. Wait. WORD slaw.
lolonurse@GottaLaff
I don't want to sound mean or bitchy, but at some point, I would very much like to hear testimony from Ivanka. She has some brains, & I thought she might distance herself from Dirty Daddy. (Then again, she did marry Jared...😖. I guess mob princesses get used to the lifestyle.)
I don't want to sound mean or bitchy, but at some point, I would very much like to hear testimony from Ivanka. She has some brains, & I thought she might distance herself from Dirty Daddy. (Then again, she did marry Jared...😖. I guess mob princesses get used to the lifestyle.)
marchforsanity@GottaLaff Habba is Lauren Boebart with a bit more intelligence - but just spouting lies for an audience of one.
William Conner@GottaLaff So how are lawyers' lies addressed - cross exam?
@William3rd These are just opening statements, so direct exam AND cross exam
@GottaLaff Thank you.
T.Wllmsthe stupid child said it was worth more than a billion... 😂 😂
the 18-27 mil was 2012... I'd imagine by now it's 200mil or so... maybe 250mil
per...In 2022, Forbes estimated the value of the estate at around $350 million. Forbes said that 'Real estate experts outside of Palm Beach guessed that the place was worth more than $200 million.
@tdwllms1 What a joke.
alphy@GottaLaff So what his attorneys are saying...is their client is guilty and they have no defense...
jd 🔆 Account moved March 22 2026 to ottawa.place@GottaLaff
Great play by play, Laffy. Thanks for doing this.
Great play by play, Laffy. Thanks for doing this.
Tom Shafer@GottaLaff Habba sounds like she was doing an impression of Trump for his entertainment. Surprised she didn't call AG James "Peekaboo". Why? We've no idea.
Greetings From Out Of the Blue@GottaLaff this isn’t the swipe she thinks it is. It makes it sound like the AG is “going to work and doing her job and then going home“. As it should be.
Nihl L'Amas@GottaLaff "You really gonna believe a lawyer who worked for a piece of scum like my client?"
SpartyGirl@GottaLaff How about all those businesses who couldn’t get loans due this a-hole tying up their cash?
Gatekeeper..LOL, all his brands have failed miserably..To brag he made Billions....bad mistake IMO
Moonglum
Toni@mwayne0013 @GottaLaff He’s been up all night crying.
@billclassified@mwayne0013 @GottaLaff Roflmaoooooo
Translation:
The End justified the Means
sadele2And banks forgave over $280 million when he refused to repay loans
From 2020: "Since 2010, lenders have forgiven President Donald Trump about $287 million in debt that he had failed to repay"
Catherine McCarthy@GottaLaff “Successful brand” 🤣
Rabbi Jill Zimmerman@GottaLaff this one made me laugh right out loud. They are all willing tools in his fantasy life.
Sean McCabe@GottaLaff
So he can pay $600,000,000 in fines without a problem.
So he can pay $600,000,000 in fines without a problem.
@GottaLaff bingo. They could have made money on their loans from other investment avenues with less risk or charged him a higher rate.
Captain of the SS El Faro@GottaLaff that's what I call victimless
Kevin Lyda@GottaLaff I love how NYC is both this global city and parochial AF.
Pusher Of Pixels (old account)@GottaLaff and even that deluge was dodging a bullet. Apparently just offshore was even worse