“Nobody Is Above the Law”: Letitia James Wasn’t Happy When Trump’s Witness Made a Joke Joke

Amy LewisNov 22, 2023

Minute Read

Letitia James is yet again venting her frustrations with Trump in their ongoing fraud trial. Her attack on Trump’s ‘fantasy world’ sparks controversy amongst passionate political internet users.

Discrediting Witnesses

Lashing out at two of Donald Trump’s fraud trial witnesses, New York Attorney General Letitia James has taken particular aim at Witkoff having contributed over $2 million to Trump’s political campaigns.

Defendant Takes Stand

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Real estate executive Steven Witkoff is the latest witness to offer testimony for the defense in Trump’s fraud case that Letitia James has taken against Trump and his company, the Trump Organization.

Attacking The Defence

Witkoff was the third defense witness to take the stand following Donald Trump Jr. and tax lawyer Sheri Dillon, and the first ‘real expert’ to testify, a title that James has heavily contested.

James Denies Expertise

James commented that Witkoff was by no means an ‘expert’ on any of the issues within the trial. What he did do, however, was donate over $2 million to Trump’s campaign, a statement likely referencing popoular investigative website, ProPublica.

Questionable Intentions

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ProPublica previously published information demonstrating that Witkoff had donated more than $2 million to Trump’s political action committees up to May 2021.

A Political Friendship

Witkoff also served as an informal adviser on tax cuts during Trump’s presidential campaign, and admitted via a video release that he and Trump had been friends “for a long time”.

No Testimony Experience

In spite of multi-millionaire Witkoff’s apparent expertise in real estate, when asked by the judge on Tuesday if he had ever testified as an expert before Tuesday, Witkoff paused briefly before responding: “I don’t think so.”

Lightening The Mood

It was then that Witkoff attempted to lighten the serious atmosphere by joking that ‘his mother might think he was an expert’, which prompted laughter from the courtroom.

Trumps Fantasy World

James summed up the case thus far by saying “Time and time again, we have shown that Trump and the defendants live in a fantasy world, a world where the truth doesn’t matter and where the rules don’t apply to them.”

A Unanimous Opinion

Her rhetoric mirrors that of Judge Enogorn who previously ruled that Trump’s world was ‘little but a fantasy’, later ruling that Trump had committed fraud.

The Power of Wealth

In his 35-page ruling, Engoron claimed, “In the defendant’s world: rent-regulated apartments are worth the same as unregulated apartments; restricted land is worth the same as unrestricted land; restrictions can evaporate into thin air; a disclaimer by one party casting responsibility on another party exonerates the other party’s lies.”

The Scales of Justice

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In summing up, James added, “That’s why this case is so important because no matter how rich and powerful you pretend to be, nobody is above the law!”

Fraud Allegations

The ongoing fraud trial stems from a $250 million lawsuit filed in 2022 by James, alleging that Donald Trump and top executives at his family company, The Trump Organization conspired to increase his net worth by billions of dollars on financial statements provided to banks and insurers to make deals and secure loans.

Deceiving Financial Institutions

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Engoron previously found that Trump and his company had deceived banks and insurers by massively overvaluing assets and over-inflating his wealth by as much as $2 billion for deals and securing loans.

Trumps Ongoing Denial

Currently front-runner in the polls for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, Trump testified on November 6 and has denied any wrongdoing, calling the trial politically motivated.

The Internets Response

News of the roundup of Tuesday’s court drama left internet users with plenty to say. Views appeared to be mixed, with many highlighting the hierarchies and inequalities surrounding power and wealth.

Trumps Entitled Position

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One person claimed that there is something of an entitled angle to Trump’s lack of denial. ‘Since the beginning of the trial, Trump has offered nothing to indicate he did anything other than inflate his property values, effectively lying to the bank he sought financing from. Trump has offered no defense of his improper action.’

Financial Hierarchy

Another addresses the inequalities faced by those of lesser wealth. ‘How come I can’t inflate my value for the purpose of getting one measly housing loan? And how come I can’t decrease the value of that house I’m gonna buy when it comes time to buy it?’

Cunning Businessman

In stark contrast, one internet user said of Trump’s over-inflation of assets to defraud banks, ‘That just makes him a smart businessman. Other people could do the same thing, they’re just not smart enough.