Clerk Who Trump Targeted Takes Big Step Toward Becoming Civil Court Judge

This week we dive into law, legislation--and linguini.

First, the law: Allison Greenfield, the principal law clerk for NY Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron and a target of former president Donald Trump in his civil fraud trial, could be headed for a judgeship herself.

Greenfield, drew the biggest round of applause as the New York County Democratic Committee announced the names of ten candidates who were “reported out” by the 2024 Civil Court Independent Screening Panel at the famed Londel’s Restaurant in Harlem on Feb. 1.

“I am thrilled to have been found Most Highly Qualified by the 2024 Civil Court Independent Judicial Screening Panel and look forward to presenting my qualifications to the county district leaders and all Manhattan residents,” Greenfield said when I caught up with her outside Londel’s.

Trump made derogatory comments about Greenfield during his civil fraud trail before Judge Engoron which led to an avalanche of hateful comments including death threats directed at her from his supporters. As a result, Engoron imposed a gag order on Trump in December that was temporarily lifted but ultimately upheld by a four judge appeals court. (Closing arguments in the case have concluded but a verdict which was initially expected to come by the end of January had not come by press time.)

Passing muster by the screening panel is an important first step on the road to a judgeship. That panel weighs the qualifications of candidates seeking the nomination of the Democratic Party for judgeships for Civil Court countywide. Next step is presenting to county leaders.

The candidate announcements were made by Manhattan Democrat leader Keith L.T. Wright along with district leaders Curtis Arluck and Louise Dankberg. [Note: Everyone was overjoyed at having Louise back after too-long an absence.] Among the district leaders present at Londel’s were the UES’s Rebecca Weintraub, Gabe Panek, and Kim Moscaritolo.

The nine other candidates reported out by the panel are Harold Baer, Ilona Coleman, Malacha Scott-McLaughlin, Elizabeth Shamahs, Mark Shawhan, Alice Tam Tien, Crystal Villasenor, Ralph Wolf, Eric Wursthorn.

Then the legislation. Former Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, who is the president of the NY chapter of NOW [National Organization of Women] hosted national and state feminist leaders and other movements leaders fighting for gender equality at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College. She urged that “Radically optimistic women and allies will be coming together to plot strategies for 2024.” and emphasized that “This is a critically important year with national elections, the state and federal Equal Rights Amendment on the ballot and before Congress and sexual and reproductive health and rights policy issues having been bulldozed over by the Supreme Court. These and other issues will affect all people in New York, and NOW will be on the front lines fighting harder than ever before.”

The keynote speech was given by Celinda Lake, Presidents of Lake Research Partners and a pollster to the Biden campaign in 2020, and Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority and former national NOW President’s keynote put into context the importance of activism in 2024. New York legislators State Senator Liz Krueger and NYS Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright also attended.

And finally the linguini: We can all agree that there’s linguini and there’s linguini whether you prefer it al dente or otherwise. In any event, you cannot beat the linguini at Manhattan’s Il Monello restaurant on East 49th Street. Their Frutti de Mare is a mound of piled high linguini surrounded by a dazzling array of seafood. The menu option says marinara. I’m for vongole. Il Monello’s has the just right blend of garlic, olive oil, and any other secret in the mix. The pasta is perfection. The shellfish to die for. Jumbo shrimp. Plump mussels. Briny clams. Calamari. One night there was a hearty chunk of salmon. Dee-lish! And the menu’s nicely retro. Definitely not a Tasting Menu. Thank goodness.