ON THE BREAKING NEWS FROM THE
WHITE HOUSE TONIGHT.
MARY, THANK YOU.
>>> MEANTIME, HERE IN NEW YORK,
FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP DEFYING
THE JUDGE, LASHING OUT IN COURT
DURING CLOSING ARGUMENTS
IN HIS $370 MILLION CIVIL
FINANCIAL FRAUD TRIAL.
FROM HIS SEAT AT THE DEFENSE
TABLE, TRUMP INSISTING HE'S AN
INNOCENT MAN, ATTACKING THE
JUDGE AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
THE JUDGE TELLING THE DEFENSE TO
CONTROL YOUR CLIENT.
HERE'S AARON KATERSKY.
>> Reporter: TONIGHT, FORMER
PRESIDENT TRUMP LAUNCHING INTO
UNSCRIPTED AND UNAUTHORIZED
REMARKS DURING CLOSING ARGUMENTS
AT HIS CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL THAT
THREATENS THE FUTURE OF A REAL
ESTATE EMPIRE THAT HELPED PROPEL
HIM TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
IGNORING THE JUDGE'S INSISTENCE
HE STICK TO THE FACTS AND THE
LAW, TRUMP WENT ON THE ATTACK,
CALLING THE CASE "A POLITICAL
WITCH HUNT THAT SHOULD BE SET
ASIDE," AND CASTING HIMSELF AS
THE VICTIM, SAYING, "I'VE BEEN
PERSECUTED BY SOMEONE RUNNING
FOR OFFICE."
TRUMP CALLED HIMSELF "AN
INNOCENT MAN" AND TOLD THE
JUDGE, "WHAT HAPPENED HERE, SIR,
IS A FRAUD ON ME," COMPLAINING
NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL
LETITIA JAMES SUED HIM "TO GET
PUBLICITY."
THE JUDGE IN THE CASE HAS
ALREADY FOUND THAT TRUMP
OVERVALUED HIS REAL ESTATE
PROPERTIES FOR YEARS, ALLOWING
HIM TO GET BETTER TERMS ON LOANS
AND INSURANCE.
NOW, THE COURT IS DECIDING HOW
MUCH TRUMP AND HIS BUSINESS
SHOULD PAY, ALONG WITH THE
FUTURE OF TRUMP'S REAL ESTATE
DEALINGS IN NEW YORK.
AND IN COURT TODAY, TRUMP DID
MAKE ONE CONCESSION.
WHEN HIS TRUMP TOWER PENTHOUSE
WAS VALUED AS IF IT WAS THREE
TIMES ITS ACTUAL SIZE, THE
FORMER PRESIDENT SAID, "IT WAS
AN HONEST MISTAKE."
AN ATTORNEY FOR THE STATE SAID
IT "SCREAMS OF AN INTENT TO
DEFRAUD."
TRUMP, SEATED AT THE DEFENSE
TABLE, BEGAN TO ATTACK THE
JUDGE, WHO IMPLORED A DEFENSE
LAWYER TO "CONTROL YOUR CLIENT."
AFTER FIVE MINUTES, THE JUDGE
CUT OFF TRUMP'S REMARKS, HOLDING
UP HIS PHONE TO SIGNAL TRUMP WAS
OUT OF TIME.
TRUMP THEN MAKING HIS CASE TO
CAMERAS OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM.
>> IT'S A DISGRACE AND THEY
SHOULD PAY ME DAMAGES.
>> Reporter: IN THEIR CLOSING
ARGUMENT, STATE LAWYERS SAYING
THEY PROVED "FRAUD WAS CENTRAL
TO THE OPERATION OF THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION'S BUSINESS," AND
TRUMP WAS RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE
"THE BUCK STOPPED WITH HIM."
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ARGUING
TRUMP SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO
DO BUSINESS IN NEW YORK AGAIN.
>> THIS CASE IS ABOUT THE FACTS
AND THE LAW.
AND MR. DONALD TRUMP VIOLATED
THE LAW.
>> Reporter: THE JUDGE SAID
TONIGHT, DAVID, HE WILL RULE BY
THE END OF THE MONTH WHETHER
TRUMP DESERVES A PENALTY.
THE STATE WANTS HIM TO PAY $370
MILLION AND GET KICKED OUT OF
REAL ESTATE IN NEW YORK.
A DECISION THAT COULD FORCE
TRUMP TO GIVE UP CONTROL OF SOME
OF THE BUILDINGS THAT BEAR HIS
NAME.
DAVID?
>> David: AARON KATERSKY OUTSIDE
THE COURTHOUSE TONIGHT.