Arthur Engoron, the judge who oversaw former President Donald Trump’s monumental civil fraud trial, may be in hot water himself after speaking to an attorney about the case before his ruling without following established rules for the court.
The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct is investigating an alleged interaction between a New York real estate lawyer and the judge who issued a $454 million judgment against Trump, according to NBC New York.
The outlet reported that real estate lawyer Adam Leitman Bailey acknowledged having a conversation with Judge Arthur Engoron a few weeks before the judge was set to make a decision. Democratic Attorney General Letitia James of New York filed suit in September 2022, in which she accused Trump of exaggerating the value of his real estate holdings to secure loans.
“Bailey claimed in a television interview that he approached Engoron to share his perspective on a key legal issue related to the trial. He insisted that he intended to help the judge understand the greater implications of the harsh ruling against Trump, particularly for New York’s economy. However, such conversations are prohibited under New York’s judicial conduct rules unless all parties are notified and given a chance to respond,” the report said.
