New York judge gives sassy response to Ivanka Trump’s bid to avoid father’s fraud trial

The drama that is the Trump family’s affairs has reached another major plot point, after New York Supreme Court judge Arthur Engoron batted away a challenge from Ivanka Trump not to testify in her father’s civil fraud trial.

As a reminder, this specific lawsuit (from New York Attorney General Letitia James) relates to allegations Trump, his sons and his associates committed fraud through overvaluing business assets.

Judge Engoron has already issued a partial ruling which determined Trump is liable for fraud.

Ms Trump, meanwhile, was initially listed as a co-defendant, but was dismissed earlier this year.

This doesn’t mean she can’t be ordered to testify though, and despite her best efforts to squeeze her way out of doing so, Judge Engoron has said she must testify in a case involving her own father.

Awkward.

In sassy comments befitting an esteemed judge, Judge Engoron told the court on Friday: “I want to see her in person. That is how we prefer testimony.”

Ms Trump – a former executive vice president at Trump Organization – can appeal the order, which will require her to testify in early November if it stands.

The tense court case has already seen Mr Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen take to the stand and give evidence, branding the former president a “defeated man” five years after he pleaded guilty to charges of tax evasion, making false statements to a federally insured bank and campaign finance violations.

He also admitted to paying two women – including porn star Stormy Daniels – hush money to prevent them from making their dealings with Trump public.

Not only that, but Trump has already had to fork out a total of $15,000 to pay fines for violating a court gagging order banning personal attacks on court staff.

Trump had taken to social media to brand Engoron a “very partisan judge” with a “person who is very partisan sitting alongside him, perhaps more partisan than he is”.

The businessman insisted he was referring to Cohen, but the judge found the claims to be “not credible” and slapped him with a $10,000 fine.

The courtroom drama continues…

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