Judge Engoron Refuses to Recuse in Trump Fraud Case

Judge Arthur Engoron has denied former President Donald Trump's request for him to recuse himself from the civil fraud case, citing a brief interaction with attorney Adam Bailey as a 'nothingburger'. Engoron emphasized his confidence in serving impartially, despite Trump's claims of improper communications related to the case. The judge found Trump liable for fraud in February, ordering him to pay approximately $464 million for inflating asset values to secure favorable loan and insurance terms. Trump's legal team argued that the judge's conversation with Bailey violated ethical standards, but Engoron stated he did not initiate or learn from the discussion. The ongoing judgment against Trump accrues interest and is currently on hold pending appeal. Meanwhile, Trump is also attempting to vacate a separate criminal conviction linked to hush money payments, arguing that recent Supreme Court rulings on presidential immunity should impact his case.