In a surprising development in the civil suit brought by the state of New York against former President Donald Trump, his counsel, Christopher Kise, hinted at the possibility of seeking a mistrial. Kise’s suggestion came in response to a report from Breitbart News, which raised questions about the impartiality of New York County Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron’s top clerk, Allison Greenfield. The report indicated that Greenfield may have violated judicial rules related to political donations.
According to Kise, the revelation about Greenfield’s political contributions, particularly in the context of her role as a court officer, raised concerns about the impartiality of the proceedings. He stated that the defense would need to seriously consider the option of pursuing a mistrial.
This surprising development occurred during court proceedings, and Engoron, who has imposed a gag order on Trump concerning Greenfield and had fined him twice for violating the gag order, expressed frustration. He made remarks that were met with audible reactions in the courtroom, including scoffs, as he responded to the defense’s reference to the Breitbart News report.
Engoron emphasized that the information presented was an allegation and claimed that he had not been notified about the violations. The Breitbart News report highlighted Greenfield’s political donations in 2022, which appeared to exceed a $500 threshold set for court officials for a calendar year. The donations, totaling several thousand dollars, were made to various political clubs and organizations in New York.
Notably, this report on Greenfield’s political donations surfaced in the context of a complaint filed with the New York State Bar Association and subsequently sent to Engoron’s court via email. This complaint was submitted on the same day that the gag order against Trump was issued.
The disclosure of Greenfield’s contributions and the subsequent discussions about a potential mistrial have sparked criticism from Trump allies. Some have characterized the situation as an attempt to silence and target the Trump family in New York, raising concerns about the integrity of the legal proceedings. This development underscores the complex legal battle Trump faces in the state of New York and the attention it has attracted from various quarters.
A clerk for the judge who is trying to unconstitutionally silence President Trump donated more than six times the max annual allowance for court officials to Democrats. Witch hunt! https://t.co/h9sohPx4MT
— Jim Banks (@Jim_Banks) November 3, 2023
Justice Engoron threatened to expand Trump gag order after Trumps attorney, Christopher Kise, raised objections to ‘note passing’ between the judge and his legal aide, Allison Greenfield.@ContinentalPllc @AlinaHabba @EricTrump@realDonaldTrump 🥊 pic.twitter.com/83oiqJc53W
— Joni Job (@jj_talking) November 3, 2023
