An attorney for Donald Trump has been forced to apologise to two female lawyers for his “disrespectful” behaviour in court during the former president’s high-profile civil fraud trial.
Chris Kise was chastised by New York Superior Court Judge Arthur Engoron on Thursday, following a heated and partially audible exchange during a sidebar in proceedings.
According to Law360, Mr Kise “brushed off” the judge’s principal law clerk Allison Greenfield, and questioned the intelligence of the attorney general’s counsel Colleen Faherty.
Sources familiar with the sidebar said Mr Kise told Ms Greenfield that he only wished to speak to the judge – not her – and said he “wasn’t surprised” that Ms Faherty was not able to “connect the dots” on an issue they were discussing, Law360 reported.
Such off-the-record sidebars usually take place out of earshot of other members of the courtroom, however Ms Faherty reportedly told Mr Kise to “be more respectful” loud enough for those inside the room to hear.
“No,” Mr Kise responded, to which Ms Faherty replied: “That was rude.”
Sources told Law360 that the judge later called the trio back to the bench and ordered Mr Kise to apologise to both Ms Faherty and Ms Greenfield.
Trump in court at his civil fraud trial— (Getty Images)
Mr Trump was not in court on Thursday during the clash.
The exchange and subsequent apology is the latest dramatic moment to take place during the civil fraud trial, where the former president and his associates are accused of fraudulently inflated the net worth and assets of his business empire for years.
On Wednesday, an employee of New York’s court system was arrested after she approached the front of the courtroom and called out that she would “help” Mr Trump.
According to a statement from a New York courts spokesperson shared with The Independent, the unidentified woman began “yelling out to Mr Trump indicating she wanted to assist him”. She was removed from the room.
