Donald Trump caught committing perjury on the stand
After Donald Trump got flustered while talking to reporters today and semi-coherently appeared to reference Judge Engoron’s clerk, the judge forced Trump to take the stand and questioned him about it. Trump claimed that he was actually referring to the judge and Michael Cohen – two people outside the scope of the gag order. But the judge didn’t buy it, and hit Trump with a fine, while spelling out that ongoing penalties will be more severe.
This was such a humiliating development for Trump, he ended up storming out of the courtroom in a huff. But it turns out it may be even worse for Trump than that.
Congressman Daniel Goldman, a former prosecutor, had this to say: “A judge just determined that Donald Trump lied under oath. That’s perjury.” That’s an interesting point. When someone commits perjury on the stand, it’s not always clear cut enough for prosecutors to be able to bring criminal charges over it – especially when that perjury happens in a civil case like this one (Letitia James would have to make the determination). But the judge can still decide that because Trump committed perjury, the financial damages in this case should be even higher.
In other words, Trump may have just talked himself into losing another hundred million dollars worth of assets, or whatever the amount may be. Trump isn’t “getting away” with anything by shooting off his mouth like this and breaking the rules. He’s simply digging himself an even deeper hole, and lining himself up for even greater punishment.
