Trump lawyer says case 'manufactured to pursue a political agenda'
Defense attorney Chris Kise began his closing argument by reciting the greatest hits of Trump's defense case, highlighting the lack of victims, intent, and claims of wrongdoing.
According to Kise, Trump's net worth is higher than claimed in his statement of financial condition, and the entire case was "manufactured to pursue a political agenda" by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
"There is no testimony from anyone as to how the defendant's conduct allegedly harmed the marketplace," Kise said with Donald Trump looking on from three feet behind him.
Kise then touted the testimony of the former president, who he praised for "shaping the skyline of New York,'' as evidence that he and his sons committed no wrongdoing.
"There are few people in the world who have succeeded in the real estate industry this well, that have been this successful," Kise said of Trump.
Kise instead placed the blame for the case on Trump's deputies at the Trump Organization and his accountants at Mazars USA.
"President Trump relied on multimillion-dollar accountants at Mazars," Kise said. "Allen Weisselberg, Jeffrey McConney, and Donald Bender were the three most principally involved in the presentation and preparation of the statements of financial condition. Guess which one is a CPA? Bender."