The recent court document unveiled on Thursday indicates that ex-President Donald Trump has withdrawn his lawsuit against Judge Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing his civil fraud case in Manhattan.
Last month, Trump initiated legal action against Judge Engoron, alleging that he had disregarded an order from an appellate court. This move was perceived by many as an attempt by Trump’s attorneys to postpone the trial, which began earlier this week.
Legal expert and former state attorney Michael McAuliffe shared with Newsweek that, given the trial has already commenced, the rationale behind the suit against Engoron becomes less clear.
McAuliffe commented, “Trump’s lawsuit against the overseeing judge seemed like a temporary strategy to push back the beginning of the civil fraud trial. However, with the trial going forward as planned, the primary purpose for the lawsuit no longer exists.”
A motion from last Thursday highlighted that Trump, along with his two senior sons and the Trump Organization, had previously petitioned against both the judge and New York Attorney Letitia James on September 13. This motion officially indicated the case’s conclusion.
Additionally, another lawsuit involving Trump was abandoned the same evening. Ex-legal counsel for Trump, Michael Cohen, revealed that Trump had chosen to let go of the $500 million lawsuit against him. Trump’s representative, however, hinted at a possibility of reopening the case in the future.
On a platform called X (previously known as Twitter), Cohen announced that Trump had voluntarily opted out of the lawsuit that had accused Cohen of violating attorney-client confidentiality by speaking negatively about him in public.
The spokesperson emphasized Trump’s intent to renew the lawsuit after navigating through ongoing investigations, cautioning that Cohen would face repercussions for his actions. Presently, Trump is entangled in multiple legal disputes, including four criminal and various civil cases, one of which is the fraud case in New York.
McAuliffe further added, “Trump’s customary method in legal battles is to deploy every possible strategy to secure an immediate advantage. Such tactics typically succeed against inadequately resourced adversaries or those unwilling to endure aggressive litigation.”
He continued, “The difference now is that Trump’s current adversaries in these legal confrontations are resourceful, skilled, and deeply dedicated. This could explain why Trump isn’t faring as well in many minor legal conflicts.”
The ongoing New York trial sees James pursuing $250 million in damages and a restriction preventing the Trump family from operating businesses in the state.
Last week, Engoron determined that Trump had committed fraud, concurring with the prosecution that such significant inconsistencies, especially from a seasoned real estate developer, could only be deemed fraudulent.
