House Republicans, especially GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, exploded in outrage Wednesday over New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron’s refusal to delay Thursday’s closing arguments in Letitia James’ civil business fraud case against Donald Trump.
Then a bomb threat against Judge Engoron’s Long Island home was sent to a local newspaper, which called police at 5:30 Thursday morning, CNBC reported.
Citing the death of the ex-president’s mother-in-law, Trump’s attorneys asked Judge Engoron to delay closing arguments by “nearly three weeks,” CNBC has also reported. That death, which Melania Trump announced on Tuesday night, did not appear to affect Trump’s campaign plans. He attended a Fox News town hall Wednesday night, and, according to a Tuesday ABC News report, is slated to hold two campaign events on Saturday, and one on Sunday.
Trump is not required to attend closing arguments, but nevertheless is in the courtroom Thursday.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, House Republicans viciously attacked Judge Engoron via social media.
“President Trump’s attorney asked to postpone closing arguments a couple of days because of the death of First Lady @MELANIATRUMP’s mother so that he can spend time with his wife. Judge Engoron rejected that request,” House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik wrote at 2:19 PM, incorrectly describing the amount of time Trump had requested.
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Stefanik, who recently called the hundreds of people convicted on charges related to the January 6 insurrection “hostages,” concluded by labeling Judge Engoron’s decision, “Despicable.”
That “tweet” went viral, receiving over 750,000 views in well-under 24 hours.
Just three minutes later, another member of House GOP Leadership, Conference Secretary Lisa McClain wrote: “This is unbelievably cruel that the judge refuses to delay closing arguments because of the death of Trump’s mother-in-law. Any other court would allow for a delay.”
U.S. Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), a far-right Republican, again, just minutes later wrote: “President Trump’s mother-in-law passed away and the radical leftist judge in NYC is refusing to delay closing arguments a couple days to accommodate the Trump family. This is all about HATRED of President Trump and everything he stands for!”
Exactly one hour after Stefanik’s post, yet another far-right Republican, U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), erupted in anger, saying, “Can our ‘justice system’ stoop any lower? President Trump’s mother-in-law sadly passed away and leftist Judge Engoron just denied Trump’s request to postpone closing arguments. May First Lady Melania’s mother rest in peace and God, help our country!!”
Wednesday night, Chairman Jordan sent an angry screed that has received well-over a half-million views: “President Trump’s mother-in-law passed away. He asked Judge Engoron to delay closing arguments in his civil case because of it. The judge said no. Disgusting,”
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Police have yet to determine who sent the bomb threat or what their motivation or political affiliation is. They reportedly found no bomb after arriving at Judge Engoron’s home.
In his exclusive report on the bomb threat to Judge Engoron’s home, The Daily Beast’s Jose Pagliery noted that the “trial was already marred with the violence that has become synonymous with the MAGA movement, as Trumpists flooded the courthouse with death threats aimed at the judge and his law clerk, Allison Greenfield.”
“According to a person briefed on the matter, more than half a dozen police cars and a bomb squad rushed to his home Thursday morning,” Pagliery also reported. “The move was perceived as a blatant attempt to delay the trial’s closing arguments, which promised to be a dramatic finish to a case that threatens to destroy the former president’s real estate empire on the grounds that he committed bank fraud for more than a decade.”
On social media Pagliery offered additional insight: “The fascist MAGA threat to law and order continues,” he observed.
“It’s easy to lose track of the rising MAGA threat on display at Donald Trump’s bank fraud trial,” Pagliery added. “He has directed the insatiable anger of his cult on this judge & law clerk. Then assassination threats to them both, bomb calls to the court & now this.”
MSNBC anchor and legal analyst Katie Phang, responding to the news of the bomb threat wrote: “On the morning that closing arguments are due to begin in the @NewYorkStateAG’s civil fraud trial against Donald Trump, the presiding judge, Justice Engoron, receives a bomb threat. There are no coincidences.”
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