During a Sunday appearance on Newsmax, a criminal defense lawyer attacked Eric Trump for his recent remarks made during his family's civil fraud trial, comparing them to "taking a dump" over the legal system.
Attorney General Letitia James of New York has filed a $250 million lawsuit against former President Donald Trump, his family, including his sons Eric and Donald Jr., and The Trump Organization. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of repeatedly inflating Trump's net worth and asset value by billions of dollars between 2011 and 2021 in order to get better deals and loans. Trump and his family have denied the allegations and insisted on their innocence, charging the prosecutors with having a political agenda and trying to sabotage Trump's bid for president in 2024.
Last month, New York Judge Arthur Engoron declared that fraud had been committed by Trump, his adult sons, their companies, and executives. The court will now rule on six more accusations, which include claims of conspiracy, insurance fraud, and business record falsification. As a jury trial was not chosen by Trump's legal team, Engoron himself will make the decision regarding the charges. As a result, the former president might forfeit some of his well-known assets and be prohibited from conducting business in New York.
Eric Trump testified on Friday regarding the issues raised by the case. In addition to holding the position of executive vice president at the Trump Foundation, he and his brother were appointed trustees of the trust established to manage the business during their father's presidency. After testifying, Eric Trump blasted the trial as a "charade" and declared his family's innocence to reporters assembled outside the courtroom.
"We're going to win this thing," he said. "I promise you we're going to win it because we haven't done a damn thing wrong."
Randy Zelin is a trial lawyer in New York City who focuses on white-collar criminal defense. He is well-known for his frequent appearances as a legal analyst on Newsmax, a right-wing news channel. Zelin criticized Eric Trump's son for his previous remarks, calling him out for "taking a dump over the system."
Zelin said, "Do it in the courtroom." Do it in the courtroom if you're absolutely certain that you'll win and that you haven't done anything wrong. This blatant disregard that people have for our legal system, judges, prosecutors, and quasi-prosecutors. Keep your mouth shut, avoid speaking to the media, and behave with a modicum of decency, especially if you are the most powerful person in the world and your last name is something you wish to be associated with. Put in your time in the courtroom and quit whining about the system you want to lead."
Zelin responded that people like Eric Trump and others who have the tendency to say things like this "have to be the bigger person" and allow voters punish the New York attorney general by possibly voting her out of office when pressed by Newsmax host Michael Grimm, who said that James was more at fault for initiating the case in the first place.
Newsweek contacted Trump family members to request comments.