Court Stenographer Removed from Trump Case Due to Political Views
A senior court stenographer for the New York Supreme Court was removed from participating in the Manhattan case against former President Donald Trump, and his union is claiming it’s because he revealed that he was a registered Republican.
The Incident and Union’s Grievance
Randy Berkowitz, the court stenographer, was assigned to work Trump’s arraignment on April 4, during which the former president pleaded not guilty to multiple felony counts related to hush-money payments. After the arraignment, Berkowitz shook hands with Trump and described the experience as remarkable in an interview with a local newspaper.
However, Berkowitz’s interview stating that he was a registered Republican led to his removal from the Trump case. The court system took issue with his comment that he wanted Trump to feel comfortable and moved him to a different case.
The Association of Surrogates and Supreme Court Reporters filed a grievance, claiming that Berkowitz’s exclusion violated the Constitution and the union’s collective bargaining agreement. When the grievance was dismissed, the union requested arbitration.
The New York Unified Court’s Response
The New York Unified Court System is now seeking to halt the arbitration process and arguing that Berkowitz’s actions compromised security protocols and the court system’s appearance of impartiality. Representatives for the court system have not yet provided a comment on the matter.
Berkowitz’s Career as a Court Reporter
Berkowitz has been a court reporter for over 38 years and has previously interacted with high-profile defendants and witnesses during trials. He often hands out business cards to those interested in purchasing transcripts from him.
