In his New York civil fraud trial, Donald Trump criticized the judge, accusing him of ridiculing a 'highly respected' witness. Trump, speaking on his Truth Social media platform, claimed that Judge Arthur Engoron 'mocked and criticized' an 'Expert Witness' of high repute. While Trump did not specify the witness, Engoron's ruling on Monday questioned the credibility of Eli Bartov's testimony. Engoron commented, 'Bartov is a tenured professor, yet his testimony indicates that, for a substantial sum, some experts might align their statements with the payer's wishes.'
Bartov received approximately $1,350 per hour for his involvement in the case. Over 650 hours of work, the New York University Stern School of Business research professor earned $877,500. Altogether, the Trump team compensated 19 witnesses a total of $2.5 million.
Expressing frustration, Trump stated, 'Judge Engoron questioned the credibility of the highly regarded Expert Witness for accepting standard and commonly accepted fees, a practice usual for such witnesses. The judge, lacking understanding, failed to give due consideration to the Expert Witness. This disregards a person of exceptional character and qualifications.'
Engoron had previously ruled that Trump had committed fraud by manipulating financial statements and misleading lenders. Consequently, Engoron mentioned that Bartov 'lost credibility' as he persistently attempted to justify every misrepresentation.
Bartov clarified to Newsweek that Engoron's characterization of his testimony was inaccurate as he did not claim the statements were entirely accurate. "I never stated or suggested that," Bartov asserted, noting that certain mistakes were unintentional, not fraudulent."
Stating that he invoiced Trump at his standard rate, he emphasized, "None of the other experts identified fraud... nor did any expert refute my testimony."
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump persisted in insinuating that the court was biased against him due to political motives. He has frequently alleged that New York Attorney General Letitia James, who filed the $250 million lawsuit against Trump and the Trump Organization, orchestrated a "witch hunt" against him.
Amidst the trial, Bartov engaged in a tense confrontation with state attorneys following counsel Kevin Wallace's remark that Bartov's testimony amounted to 'pure speculation.' Wallace further commented that Bartov was 'commissioned to articulate their desired narrative.'
Bartov retorted, stating, "My purpose here is to convey the truth. It's disappointing to be spoken to in such a manner."
Additionally, Bartov clarified that a portion of the fees he received originated from the Trump Organization, while others were sourced from Trump's Save America PAC.
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