Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty/Facebook
For nearly a year, Donald Trump has been forcefully trying to replace the state judge overseeing his upcoming bank fraud trial against the New York Attorney General. But by taking the remarkable step of suing the judge and AG together in a higher court this week, the former president has created the illusion of a united front against him—one that could be used as an excuse to yank the judge off the case.
There is now mounting concern—among legal observers and those involved in the case who spoke exclusively to The Daily Beast—that Trump is creating the groundwork for a bogus legal challenge. The idea, they said, would clearly be an attempt to throw yet another wrench in the gears on the eve of a gargantuan trial, which was set to begin Oct. 2.
A source familiar with the inner workings of the investigation said they’re now preparing for something of a one-two punch, with Trump’s lawyers positioning themselves to argue that Justice Arthur F. Engoron can’t possibly be fair and impartial at trial, because he is now a defendant standing opposite the former president in a new ongoing case—never mind that Trump’s the one who decided to sue him.