In New York, Donald Trump's efforts to dismiss the fraud case against him have been met with scepticism from judge Arthur Engoron. Trump is facing allegations of financial fraud related to his business practices. The judge has questioned the credibility of his arguments, particularly his claims that the charges are politically motivated. He also poured scorn on Eli Bartov, an expert witness who ‘doggedly’ defended apparent misstatements in Trump’s financial documents. Bartov had admitted receiving over $875,000 from the defence team, and the judge commented, ‘For a million or so dollars, some experts will say whatever you want them to say’. In a separate development, the Colorado supreme court has voted to bar Trump from the state primary ballot in March 2024, due to his involvement in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The ruling, which will probably be appealed to the federal supreme court, could have significant implications for the 2024 race.