Judge Engoron's Connection to Michael Cohen Explained - Newsweek

Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over Donald Trump's civil fraud trial in New York, appears to have a slight connection to Michael Cohen, a former Trump attorney, according to a report on Monday from conservative commentator Laura Loomer.

Loomer's report details a connection between Engoron and former U.S. Attorney Philip Halpern, who was previously interviewed by Cohen on his podcast. After serving as Trump's lawyer, Cohen testified against the former president in his civil fraud trial, where Trump is accused of illegally inflating his own net worth and the value of some of his properties based on a lawsuit that was filed last year by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

In addition to his civil fraud trial, Trump is facing other legal trouble including his federal indictment for alleged crimes related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and another indictment for his alleged mishandling of classified documents that were stored at his Mar-a-Lago resort residence. Trump, who is also facing two state-level indictments in New York and Georgia, has denied any wrongdoing in each of his cases, accusing prosecutors of a political "witch hunt" as he seeks reelection in 2024.

Loomer's Monday report begins by detailing a connection between Engoron, who Trump has been vocally critical of, and Halpern through Engoron's newsletter, "The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter." In November 2020, the newsletter included a story from Halpern where he spoke about his decision to leave the Department of Justice (DOJ) over his distaste for former Attorney General Bill Barr, who worked in the Trump administration from 2019 to 2020.

Judge Arthur Engoron — Justice Arthur Engoron is seen during former President Donald Trump's civil fraud trial on November 3 in New York City. Conservative commentator Laura Loomer published a report on Monday claiming a connection between Engoron and former Trump lawyer, Michael Cohen. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Engoron also included a note he received from Halpern in the newsletter that read, "Art, Thanks for dropping me a line. Although I was not so brazen to believe my article in itself could make a difference, I felt it was important to add my voice to the chorus of citizens concerned about the direction of our country. The reaction, however, to this Op Ed was amazing and completely overwhelming."

A month prior to the newsletter's publication, Halpern appeared on Cohen's podcast, Mea Culpa. "Michael speaks with former US Attorney, Phillip Halpern who very publicly resigned last week out of protest and disgust for Attorney General William P. Barr's shocking abuse of power," the episode's description reads on October 26, 2020.

Newsweek reached out to Cohen's lawyer via email for comment. Newsweek also reached out to the public information center for New York State courts for comment from Engoron.

"While Justice Engoron was actively presiding as the judge in President Trump's civil fraud case, Engoron was concurrently 'dropping a line' to an openly biased, radical Leftist federal prosecutor, who was potentially acting as a Democrat Party operative, actively attacking President Trump, and conducting politically motivated interviews with Michael Cohen, the prosecution's star witness. Could this ex-parte communication also qualify as witness tampering and election interference?" Loomer, a pro-Trump conspiracy theorist, asked in her report.

Responding to her X, formerly Twitter, post, users called for action to be taken against Engoron.

"MISTRIAL NOW!" X user @PaulIngrassia, a law clerk for McBride Law, wrote.

David Giglio, a Republican who announced earlier this year that he would challenge Representative Kevin McCarthy in next year's GOP primary, wrote "The corruption of our legal system is real and represents the final step in America's journey toward full blown banana republic status. There's still time to stop it but the clock is nearing zero. If the current crop of Republicans aren't up to the task that history demands of them, it's time to replace them with those who are and understand the reality of the threat facing our great republic."

In defense of Engoron, X user Tye Talks wrote, "Not illegal."