Mike Hayes, Aditi Sangal, Leinz Vales, Maureen Chowdhury, and Elise Hammond report for CNN that former President Donald Trump attended the first day of the New York civil trial against him and his namesake company.at a Manhattan courtroom on Oct. 2. Trump was not required to be there, and the only action he took was speaking to reporters where he attacked New York Attorney General Letitia James for bringing the case against him. And then he attacked the judge for a ruling in the case last week. And then he tried to tie them to special counsel Jack Smith’s criminal indictments, even though they are unconnected. Trump said, “This has to do with election interference, plain and simple.... They’re trying to damage me, so I don’t do as well as I’m doing in the election.” The case is actually about Trump inflating valuations on his properties and other business fraud. The judge has already ruled that Trump's company committed fraud, and the trial will determine the size of the fines he must pay. Read more about this story at CNN.