Judge in Trump Trial Faces Corruption Allegations

pjmedia.com

Judge Arthur Engoron, who oversaw the trial against former President Donald Trump for civil fraud, is now himself under investigation, after receiving unsolicited advice from a well known New York real estate attorney, according to NBC New York.

The controversial left-wing judge found Trump, two of his sons, his business associates, and the Trump Organization guilty and fined the former president $454 million for falsely inflating his assets.

Real estate attorney Adam Leitman Bailey admitted to NBC last week that he gave unsolicited advice to Engoron, three weeks before he made his decision on the case, which is strictly forbidden by law.

“I actually had the ability to speak to him three weeks ago,” Bailey told reporters on February 16, the same day as Engoron’s final decision.

“I saw him in the corner [near the courthouse] and I told my client, ‘I need to go.’ And I walked over and we started talking.… I wanted him to know what I think and why.…I really want him to get it right.”

The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the state’s judicial oversight body, is now investigating the matter, NBC New York reported.

“A judge shall not initiate, permit, or consider ex parte communications, or consider other communications made to the judge outside the presence of the parties or their lawyers,” according to the New York State Rules of Judicial Conduct.

However, the rules allow an exception for getting the advice of a neutral expert.

“A judge may obtain the advice of a disinterested expert on the law applicable to a proceeding before the judge if the judge gives notice to the parties …and affords the parties reasonable opportunity to respond.”

Engoron denied through the court’s spokesman making any improper comments to Bailey and said that his final verdict was “wholly uninfluenced” by the conversation…