Alina Habba loses it after Trump testimony: 'Why exactly am I being paid as an attorney?'
Trump attorney Alina Habba blew up at New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron after he admonished Donald Trump in a $250 million fraud trial.
During a break in Trump's testimony on Monday, Habba spoke to reporters about the contentious hearing where her client had been cautioned for refusing to give direct answers.
Engoron had said that Trump was there to answer questions, not give political speeches.
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"I'm not here to hear what he has to say," Habba said, quoting the judge. "Then why exactly am I being paid as an attorney?"
"The answer is very clear," she insisted. "Because [NY Attorney General Letitia James] wants to stand right here like she did this morning and call my client a liar."
Habba argued that the "country is falling apart."
"And if we don't stop corruption in courtrooms where attorneys are gagged, where attorneys are not allowed to say what they need to say to protect their clients' interests, it doesn't matter what your politics are," she said. "But I was told to sit down today. I was yelled at, and I've had a judge who is unhinged slamming a table."
"Let me be very clear, I don't tolerate that in my life," she added. "I'm not going to tolerate it here."
Habba accused James of "taunting" Trump into angry testimony.
"You taunted him," she complained. "You said his administration was too male and too pale. Those are her words."
"And the judge can tell me to sit down, and he can try and shorten my client's testimony," she remarked. "But it is loud and clear. They've got nothing. They've got nothing but their politics."