Former President Donald Trump used his Truth Social platform to go after the federal judge presiding over writer E. Jean Carroll's defamation lawsuit, calling him "abusive."
"Now, because I want to be at this Witch Hunt 100% of the time and watch what is going on, my attorneys asked the Judge for a one day delay so that I can attend the funeral of my beloved mother-in-law, with my wife and entire family tomorrow in Palm Beach, Florida….," he wrote on Truth Social Wednesday.
"... The Judge, angrily, and somewhat surprisingly, said NO, you can go to the trial, or you can go to the funeral, but not both. He is abusive, rude, and obviously not impartial but, that's the way this crooked system works!" Trump said in a follow-up post.
Following the death of his mother-in-law, Trump's attorney asked the court to adjourn the trial for one week so that the former president could be with his family and attend the funeral services on Jan. 17 and 18.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan denied the request last week, saying a delay would disrupt the operations of the court.
Trump has repeatedly gone after Kaplan on both a personal and professional level since the trial began, and he posted on Truth Social, "He is a bad person and an even worse Judge."
Trump continued, "This is the second trial concerning the same person, who is represented and financed by POLITICAL OPERATIVES. It could have taken place at any time, including months ago. Can anyone imagine a husband not going to his wife's mother's funeral over a MADE UP STORY - A story that has been allowed to simmer by a really bad Judge who suffers from TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME!"
Earlier on Wednesday, Kaplan threatened to kick Trump out of the trial for being disruptive. Carroll attorney Shawn Crowley said Trump was talking loudly during Carroll's testimony, saying, "He said: 'It is a witch hunt; it really is a con job.'"
Carroll is seeking up to $10 million in damages stemming from Trump's denials when she publicly came forward in 2019 with claims that he sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room in 1996.
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