Photo: Alamy
House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik filed a judicial ethics complaint against Judge Arthur Engoron who is presiding over the New York civil fraud case against former President Donald Trump, calling his behavior “inappropriate” and “biased.”
Stefanik, R-N.Y., posted her letter to commission members on X, formerly known as Twitter, alleging that Trump’s case is “being politicized” due to Trump’s lead among both the primary and general polls.
“I write today to express my serious concerns about the inappropriate bias and judicial intemperance shown by Judge Arthur F. Engoron in New York’s lawsuit against President Donald J. Trump and the Trump Organization,” Stefanik wrote.
“This judge’s bizarre behavior has no place in our judicial system, where Judge Engoron is not honoring the defendant’s rights to due process and a fair trial,” she continued.
“These serious concerns are exacerbated by the fact that the defendant is the leading candidate for President of the United States, and it appears the judicial system is being politicized to affect the outcome of the campaign,” Stefanik added.
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a $250 million lawsuit against Trump last year, claiming that the former president inflated his asset values for financial gain.
Engoron has since issued a gag order on Trump barring parties from speaking about his staff after Trump had called out the judge’s clerk on social media, according to CBS News.
The 45th president has been fined twice for allegedly violating his gag order, pushing Engoron to now expand the order to include Trump’s lawyers as well.
“Simply put, Judge Engoron has displayed a clear judicial bias against the defendant throughout the case, breaking several rules in the New York Code of Judicial Conduct,” Stefanik wrote.
Stefanik continued within her letter to list Engoron’s behavior regarding Trump, noting his recorded action prior and post trial.
The representative called out how Engoron reportedly told Trump’s attorney that the former president “was just a bad guy,” as well as yelling at Trump within the court stating “we are not here to listen to what you have to say.”
The New York representative also called out Engoron’s reported donations in 2018 to Manhattan Democrats, although Section 100.5 states that judges should abstain from “making a contribution to a political organization.”
“Judge Engoron’s lawlessness sends an ominous and illegal warning to New York business owners: If New York judges don’t like your politics, they will destroy your business, the livelihood of your employees, and you personally,” Stefanik concluded. “This Commission cannot let this continue.”