The New York judge overseeing former President Trump’s civil fraud case issued a subpoena issued to an outside attorney who said he offered unsolicited advice on the case while the judge’s multimillion-dollar ruling was pending.
Judge Arthur Engoron ruled Tuesday that Trump’s subpoena to New York real estate lawyer Adam Leitman Bailey sought to conduct an “improper wholesale fishing expedition” of any communication between him and the lawyer, noting that Bailey and his firm appeared before his court “frequently.” and that unrelated conversations would likely be included in the broad request.
However, Engoron admitted that the subpoena was not “entirely without merit,” stating that Bailey’s “extraordinary claims to the media” opened the door for Trump’s lawyers to seek any communications or documents related to their conversation.
On February 16, the day Engoron entered a $464 million judgment – plus additional interest – against Trump for altering his net worth for tax and insurance benefits, Baileysaid in an interview with NBC New Yorkthat he had approached the judge weeks earlier to offer unsolicited advice about the case.
“I saw him in the corner [at the courthouse], and I told my client, ‘I need to go.’ And I approached and we started talking. … I wanted him to know what I think and why … I really want him to get it right,” Bailey told NBC New York.
Bailey later added that “the word ‘Donald Trump'” was never mentioned in the conversation, but when asked if it was clear they were discussing Trump’s case, he responded, “Well, obviously we weren’t talking about the Mets.”
The conversation prompted Trump’s lawyers to demand that Engoron withdraw from the case, claiming the judge improperly discussed the matter with an outside party.
Engoron has not yet ruled on the matter, but a court spokesperson said at the time that the judge’s decision in Trump’s case “was solely his, deeply considered and completely uninfluenced” by Bailey.
Bailey previously told The Hill that his comments to NBC New York were “off the record” and said he “only discussed with the judge the September summary judgment decision” where Engoron found Trump and his co-defendants liable. for fraud.
Engoron instructed Bailey to turn over any responsive documents to Trump’s lawyers within a week.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
