In a fiery defense of Donald Trump, attorney Alina Habba vehemently opposed New York Attorney General Letitia James’s motion to revoke the former president’s $175 million bond following a civil fraud judgment. Habba denounced the case as a “disgrace to the American judicial system” and an epitome of a “witch hunt.”
Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, Habba asserted that Trump was on trial in another courtroom for allegedly falsifying business records to pay off an adult film star after an alleged affair. She questioned why Trump had to face two teams of lawyers and argued that he should not even be present in court as he had done nothing wrong.
Habba also expressed frustration over James’s argument that the bond’s cash was somehow insufficient, saying, “Justice Arthur Engoron, who initially appeared dubious of Trump’s bond scheme, doesn’t even understand basic principles of finance.”
Despite the initial skepticism from Engoron, both sides eventually agreed to the bond after Trump’s team agreed to rescind control of the Charles Schwab account put up as collateral. Habba seized the opportunity to criticize the use of taxpayer dollars on such cases, labeling them as “witch hunt after witch hunt.”
Habba defended Trump’s alleged payment to silence the adult film star, arguing that it was a common practice for individuals to hire lawyers to solve problems and pay them accordingly. She emphasized that Trump’s payment was not an attempt to influence the 2016 election as alleged by prosecutors.
Habba’s appearance in the hush-money trial marked her first in the case, while members of Trump’s family have been notably absent from the courthouse. Fox News analysts have speculated on the significance of this absence and the potential impact of Trump’s family presence on his defense.
A hush-money trial is one of several legal challenges Trump faces. He has also been indicted for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election and for refusing to return top-secret government documents taken from the White House after being served with a subpoena.
