(TargetLiberty.org) – In a recent development covered by Newsweek, Dawn Engoron, spouse of Judge Arthur Engoron, refuted claims that she authored derogatory online posts about ex-President Donald Trump. The allegations, brought forth by right-wing campaigner Laura Loomer, suggested that Mrs. Engoron was behind a particular social media account disseminating anti-Trump rhetoric. This accusation gains significance due to Judge Engoron presiding over Trump’s ongoing civil business fraud trial, wherein the former president is embroiled in a $250 million lawsuit initiated by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The legal action accuses Trump of grossly exaggerating his net worth to secure financial advantages, including favorable loans and tax reductions, over a decade.
Judge Engoron made a notable ruling in September, finding that Trump, along with his sons and their business executives, engaged in fraudulent activities. He is presently deliberating on additional charges related to false record-keeping, insurance fraud, and conspiracy during the trial. Amidst these proceedings, Trump has consistently proclaimed his innocence, attributing the prosecutorial efforts to a politically motivated witch hunt and labeling Judge Engoron as partisan, particularly criticizing the gag order imposed on him by the judge.
The controversy took a sharp turn when conservatives called for the trial’s dismissal or a declaration of a mistrial due to the purported social media posts by Mrs. Engoron. However, former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani advised Newsweek that a judge’s relative’s online activity does not constitute sufficient cause for judicial disqualification unless the judge’s own conduct raises questions about their neutrality. The issue draws parallels with the situation of Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, whose pro-Trump online posts have also been subject to public scrutiny.
The social media account in question, now set to private, was linked to posts defaming Trump and his attorney, Alina Habba. Despite the uproar from conservative circles, including strong words from Richard Grenell and Mercedes Schlapp, both previously in Trump’s administration, others have expressed skepticism about Trump receiving impartial treatment, given the surrounding circumstances of the trial.
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