Former President Trump’s attorney Alina Habba went after New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday, saying she’s “just not that bright.”
James is leading the ongoing civil trial against Trump alleging that he and his adult sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, spent years committing business fraud by inflating and deflating the value of their company’s assets.
Habba, in a Newsmax interview Monday, said James doesn’t have a good case. However, Judge Arthur Engoron already ruled that the fraud occurred, and the ongoing trial is set to determine damages.
“She’s just not that bright. I’m sorry, I have to say it,” Habba said. “I’ve seen their case; I’ve seen their lawyers. They don’t know what they’re talking about.”
She argued that what the judge ruled is fraud is actually industry standard behavior.
“Just because a bank who’s giving you a loan says it’s worth what the loan amount is, which is what happens when anybody takes a loan out, they’re never going to say the real value,” she continued. “They’re going to say what they want to say and not a penny more, or what the loan amount is and not a penny more.”
“She needs to educate herself, maybe go to some — I don’t even know how to express how ridiculous this is,” Habba said. “It’s like being in a circus with a bunch of — I mean, what I want to say I can’t say on TV, but it’s crazy. You know, it’s just ridiculous. Anybody with a brain understands that this is just completely insane.”
Trump took the stand in the trial Monday and repeatedly clashed with Engoron, whom he has consistently accused of trying to come after him with political motives.
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At one point during the testimony, Engoron interrupted a rambling Trump answer, which resembled an impromptu stump speech.
“Mr. Kise, can you control your client? This is not a political rally,” Engoron asked of Trump’s attorney, Chris Kise.
James is seeking $250 million in financial penalties and to ban Trump and his sons from operating businesses in New York.
After Monday’s testimony, James said she was not deterred by what she described as Trump’s “distractions.”
“He rambled, he hurled insults, but we expected that,” James told reporters. “But I will not be bullied; I will not be harassed.”
“This case will go on,” she added.