Trump civil fraud case: Judge fines Trump $354M, says frauds 'shock the conscience'

Real estate executive Doug Larson, whose cross-examination began yesterday afternoon, is scheduled to complete his testimony this morning.

Larson, who testified yesterday that phone calls with him that were referenced in Trump Organization financial documents did not actually take place, faced hours of cross-examination yesterday by defense attorney Lazaro Fields.

Fields grilled Larson on discrepancies in the final drafts of appraisals --- a process that Larson acknowledged was less of a "science" than an "art."

Jack Weisselberg, an executive at the real estate investment firm Ladder Capital who is also the son of Trump Organization ex-CFO Allen Weisselberg, is scheduled to testify next about his work refinancing a loan of Trump's 40 Wall Street property.

"I suggest we call him Jack," said Judge Arthur Engoron, anticipating confusion regarding the actions of both Weisselbergs.

After court adjourned for the day, New York Attorney General Letitia James offered one of her firmest repudiations of the former president's claims.

"He can call me names, he can engage in distractions, but at the end of the day ... his entire empire was built on nothing but lies and on sinking sand," James told reporters outside the lower Manhattan courthouse.

Trump has frequently targeted James in his comments during courtroom breaks, criticizing her efforts as politically motivated and pushing an unfounded theory that the case against him is part of a plot of interfere in the 2024 election.

"This is an attorney general ... that went out and campaigned on 'I will get Trump,'" Trump said before entering court this morning, repeating attacks that he's made on social media.

James fired back that her team has repeatedly demonstrated that Trump committed fraud, both in the first two weeks of the trial, as well as in Judge Arthur Engoron's pretrial ruling about Trump's fraudulent financial statements.

"He will again attempt to distract each and every one of you, attempt to raise his voice and scream," James told reporters. "But at the end of the day, justice will be served, and I'm confident that victory will be mine."

Former President Trump did not return to court after the mid-afternoon break, leaving his attorneys alone at counsel table for the cross-examination of professional appraiser Doug Larson.

The former president departed from the lower Manhattan courthouse in his motorcade.

Trump is scheduled to sit for a deposition today related to a civil lawsuit brought by former FBI agent Peter Strzok and former FBI attorney Lisa Page. Strzok filed suit against the Justice Department and the FBI in 2019, claiming his First Amendment rights were violated when he was wrongfully terminated the year before over private text messages with Page that reflected anti-Trump sentiments.

State attorney Eric Haren has filed a letter with the court arguing that Trump Organization executive Patrick Birney's testimony yesterday about Trump's net worth should be admissible.

During his testimony, Birney claimed that CFO Allen Weisselberg told him that "Mr. Trump wanted his net worth on the statement of financial condition to go up." Trump lawyer Chris Kise immediately objected to the statement as hearsay.

Judge Engoron then asked both parties to submit two-page memos by today, regarding whether the statements from Birney are hearsay.

"Regardless of its truth, Mr. Weisselberg's statement tends to show the existence of an illicit agreement or scheme," Haren wrote in his letter to the judge.

Haren argued that since Weisselberg is alleged to be a co-conspirator who carried out his "illicit objectives" through Birney, the statement should be considered admissible.