Law clerk in Trump civil fraud trial running for judgeship

<i>Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Pool/AFP/Getty Images</i><br/>Judge Arthur Engoron

By CNN Newsource

Published February 16, 2024 10:48 am

By Lauren del Valle, CNN

(CNN) — The law clerk Donald Trump accused of “co-judging” his civil fraud trial is running for her own seat in Manhattan civil court in the upcoming November elections.

Allison Greenfield was a frequent point of contention for Trump’s legal team – even costing Trump thousands in fines for violating a gag order barring him from talking about her.

Trump’s lawyers complained about her presence on the bench seated next to the judge, accusing her of ‘co-judging’ as she often passed notes to Judge Arthur Engoron and whispered in his ear before he ruled.

Engoron imposed a gag order in the first week of trial after Trump published negative social media posts about Greenfield accusing her of bias and made an unfounded claim about a relationship with a top senator.

The judge later expanded the gag order to cover the attorneys and fined Trump twice for violating the order after continued public criticisms of Greenfield. Trump’s legal team made several unsuccessful bids to appeal the gag order, arguing that Trump’s lawyers should be able to make a record of what they say was bias against the former president.

During the trial, Engoron fiercely defended his law clerk of five years during the 11-week trial, pounding his fist on the bench as he reprimanded Trump’s lawyers and at one point suggested their complaints were misogynistic.

Trump attorney Alina Habba pushed back on that notion, telling Engoron she was equally offended by Greenfield’s attitude toward Trump’s defense team and “eye rolls and constant whispering.”

Greenfield could soon have a bench of her own as she’s currently running unopposed, according to a source familiar with the matter.

She’s running for a countywide civil court position that is a lower-level judgeship than that of her boss, who had to win another election to make the rise from county judge to the state supreme court.

The Democratic candidate has received several endorsements from partisan groups in recent weeks including the Manhattan Democratic Party.

The Manhattan Democratic Party’s Civil Court Independent Judicial Screening Panel named her as one of the “most highly qualified” candidates earlier this month.