Authorities responded to a bomb threat at the home of the judge hearing former President Trump’s New York civil fraud case on Thursday, just hours before the trial’s closing statements.
A court official told The Associated Press that police were investigating a threat at Judge Arthur Engoron’s Long Island residence.
“There was a danger. “I can confirm a bomb threat,” Al Baker, a court official, told the Associated Press. “As of now we are going forward as scheduled and the court proceedings and closing arguments are going ahead as planned.”
Baker told The Hill that the court has had security protocols in place since the commencement of proceedings and will continue to do so out of prudence. The New York Attorney General’s Office and Baker both affirmed that the trial will proceed as scheduled.
The Nassau County Police Department told The Hill that they attended to a “swatting incident” in Great Neck Gardens but did not identify the resident.
The former president’s firm deliberately exaggerated and deflated the worth of its assets in order to achieve lower taxes and greater insurance coverage, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James’ $250 million lawsuit against Trump, his two adult sons, and the Trump Organization. Trump and his sons have each disputed the allegations.
The trial started in October.
Earlier this week, multiple media outlets reported that Trump planned to offer his own closing argument, but Engoron rejected the idea after his legal team could not ensure he would stick to subjects “relevant” to the case.
Engoron indicated last week in an email exchange for the request that he would let Trump make his closing argument provided he agreed on the record to “limit his subjects” to what is permitted in a lawyer’s final statement. He went on to say that if Trump broke any regulations, he would “cut him off mid-sentence and admonish him,” end his closing speech, or punish him if he broke the gag order.
A lawyer in James’ office also argued last week that Trump “is certainly not permitted to do so as of right.”
Trump blasted Engoron’s ruling on Truth Social on Wednesday, alleging the judge and James “are working closely together to’screw me.'”
Throughout the trial, he and Engoron have sparred on multiple occasions, including in a separate legal struggle over a gag order imposed early on.
While testifying, the former president has frequently accused Engoron and James of prejudice against him, labeling them “Trump haters,” “frauds,” and “political hacks.”
Closing arguments, which are scheduled to begin on Thursday, will provide each side two hours and fifteen minutes to make their final remarks to the judge.
The case may be resolved by the end of the month.