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Nov. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Friday filed an ethics complaint against Judge Arthur Engoron, the judge who has ruled that defendants Donald Trump and the Trump Organization committed systematic business fraud for years. Stefanik, one of 126 House Republicans who signed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court seeking to overturn President Joe Biden's 2020 election win, accused Engoron of bias against Trump.
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"I write today to express my serious concerns about the inappropriate bias and judicial intemperance shown by Judge Arthur F. Engoron in New York's lawsuit against President Donald J. Trump and the Trump Organization," Stefanik's complaint said. "This judge's bizarre behavior has no place in our judicial system, where Judge Engoron is not honoring the defendant's rights to due process and a fair trial."
She was also one of 147 House Republicans to vote against certifying Biden's electoral votes in at least one state.
Stefanik wrote an open letter to her constituents Jan. 6, 2021, stating her intent to object to the certified 2020 electors from Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Her letter defended Trump, who has been indicted for 91 felonies in four criminal cases for alleged crimes that include conspiracy to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election.
Stefanik's complaint to the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct asserted, "Simply put, Judge Engoron has displayed a clear judicial bias against the defendant throughout the case, breaking several rules in the New York Code of Judicial Conduct."
In her letter, Stefanik, who was endorsed by Trump for a House GOP leadership position, complained about Engoron granting New York Attorney General Letitia James' partial summary judgement motion that found Trump and his business committed fraud.
There is no jury in the Trump New York civil business fraud trial.
Both sides tried to win summary judgments in the case. But after reviewing the evidence, Engoron found Trump and the Trump Organization had, in fact, committed fraud.
He denied the summary judgement motion from Trump's lawyers.
"Judge Engoron entered summary judgment against the defendant before the trial even began, without witnesses, other evidence, and cross-examination," Stefanik wrote in her ethics complaint letter.
She also accused Engoron's principal law clerk of donating money to political campaigns. That law clerk was attacked by Trump as "partisan", prompting Engoron to issue a gag order barring Trump from publicly attacking the law clerk.
