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© 2021 AFPTrump sues niece, New York Times over Pulitzer-winning tax story
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84 Comments
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
Oh, "falsely" huh?
Well, now, it is false now then, huh? The tax returns cannot be both fake and a violation of NDA.
Maybe if Trump had released his tax returns this wouldn't even be a story.
Laguna
This happened three years ago. Trump just hates being called out for what he is, especially by a family member - and a female at that (his misogynism is well-known).
The Avenger
Having spent the past year wracking up an impressive string of legal and electoral losses, Donald Trump seems intent on adding another to the list.
If Donald Trump's suing, Mary Trump must've told the truth.
Desert Tortoise
JT doesn't mention this but in remarks about the lawsuit she called him an "effing loser" so here you are ^_^
Bob Fosse
What a crybaby.
Desert Tortoise
Unlike everyone else who has run for President of the US the last several decades ol' Donald Trump sure is afraid to let anyone see his tax returns. He's not the sharpest tool in the shed if he really thought he could refuse to release his taxes and that would not be seen as an indication he is hiding something. George Romney released 12 years of his tax returns when he ran for President in 1968 and by 1980 it was de rigueur for candidates to do so. You can probably credit / blame Richard Nixon for this after former White House lawyer Edward L. Morgan plead guilty to having created $576,000 in fraudulent tax deductions for Nixon over a period of several years. After that candidates are assumed to have something to hide unless they prove otherwise by releasing their tax returns. Why is Donald Trump different? Oh wait ....................
ulysses
Now why would a decent, hard working, honest businessman want to hide his taxes.
Though I feel for the former guy, he desperately needs money and will take whatever he can get.
OssanAmerica
It still boggles my mind that back in 2016 so many Americans voted for a presidential candidate who asked them to trust him to lead the country, but didn't trust them enough to show them his tax returns.
ulysses
Looks like there’s not much money coming in from Cameo.
Apparently there’s not much demand for a loser businessman who also was a one term president and lost the election spectacularly!!!
bass4funk
And what is the crime with that. He does have a strong case. If he can prove that she was harassing him or defaming him, the lawsuit could stand up in a civil lawsuit.
So what would account for decency according to the left?
.
ulysses
Very well said dear sir, I am sure the former guy will release his taxes and prove everyone wrong.
ulysses
I cannot speak for the left, being ambidextrous, but let’s not bring in decency when discussing the former guy.
Thry don’t belong on the same page, forget the same sentence.
dagon
alleging they engaged in "an insidious plot" to obtain his tax returns for the paper's Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation of his finances.
The insidious plot that revealed he had paid no taxes on his lavish and highly leveraged business empire, while gifting corporations and the wealthy with the biggest tax cut in decades, all while suffering no consequences.
That we could all be victims of such insidious plotting.
Desert Tortoise
No crime per se, just an accurate statement about the efficacy of the many legal actions he has entered in the past five years. He has lost around 50 lawsuits related to the 2020 election. He doesn't have much of a track record of winning in court. In the cases where he has been sued he settles before trial. He had to submit to a consent decree when the FBI sued him for rental discrimination and his $100 Million countersuit went nowhere. He makes a lot of noise but none of that ever matters in a court of law in the US. Facts and evidence are what matter and in that arena he is very weak.
SuperLib
Always the little victim.
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
nah, he really doesn't. Trump wasn't being harassed, and his reputation is already garbage, therefore making it difficult, if not impossible, to defame.
Bob Fosse
Good news for Rosie o’ Donnell and Bette Midler then.
Bob Fosse
I can’t pretend to speak for a group of people. But doing what you say you’ll do is a pretty decent standard to follow, leading by example. Cheating isn’t.
How many times did he promise to release his taxes? I lost count.
Desert Tortoise
Dishonest sales types do the same thing, stringing you along with promises they never keep until you get tired and go away, or get mad and demand a refund. In a lot of ways he is a classic circus sales puke, any lie to close the deal and once the money has changed hands they disappear and never return calls.
Yrral
Trump will be indicted, before years end, Trump official are given Trump. criminal secrets to a NY grand jury against Trump
bass4funk
That has nothing to do with him suing his niece.
Yes, he really does.
According to some on the left that is true, get over the TDS. Again, as an American citizen and I could care less what the left or even the right thinks, doesn't matter in a civil lawsuit, get the emotions out of it. He has the right to sue for defamation of character and if he has a legitimate case which this sounds like it, she won't be happy.
Bob Fosse
The defense rests your honour.
bass4funk
True, but I do know about defamation lawsuits.
That would depend.
Not me, the fact is, Trump has a legitimate case and the left are angry (again as always) that Trump would dare have the audacity to take action and go after his own niece.
Speak for yourself, sir.
Strangerland
Funny watching Trump be angered that someone dared do to him the type of thing he does to everyone else! It's nice to know that this release of his tax info bugged in.
Pukey2
The fat guy most probably breaks one of his toys whenever he sees his niece on TV exposing yet more sordid truths about him.
bass4funk
Exactly.
Even better….
The suit particularly accuses Mary Trump of breaching a contractual family settlement agreement with the actions and the publication of her book Too Much and Never Enough, as well as failing to deal in good faith in compliance to the settlement agreement and of unjust enrichment.
Well, she breached her contract so that’s pretty bad. Seems pretty legitimate to me.
Ditto
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-sues-niece-and-new-york-times-over-tax-return-story
GdTokyo
No, um no you don’t. Just to help you out a bit, truth is an absolute defense. NOWHERE does Trump claim the reported into is untrue. So the NYT is off the hook.
As for the niece m, there are 2 points: first, to defame the information has to be knowingly false. Again, NOWHERE does he claim it’s untrue.
Also, as far as violating the NDA, if he wants to sue, have at it. You know what they say about discovery, right? It’s a B.
mary’s lawyers can put him under oath and ask him ALL KINDS of thing and if he lies (which even you know he will) it’s a crime.
But wait, it gets better! He can be called as a witness at trial where he MUST appear under oath. All kinds of detailed questions about his business practices.
But wait! There’s more! This has all the makings of a SLAP SUIT. GOOD NEWS, NY has updated SLAP suit legislation which both lowers the bar for bs suits (Trump files no other kind: remember when he sued the journalist for claiming he wasn’t a billionaire?) AND dictates that the filer pay the defendant’s legal fees.
So to sum up, he has no case against the NYT, zero zilch, zip; He dare not pursue Mary because she will make him out for the fool and crook he is; and you don’t really know much about defamation suits.
bass4funk
I do.
Ok, you can believe that, I don’t. That is not what the initial complaint is. Summing it up. I think the left are just angry because they just can’t get rid of this guy and it’s pi**ing them off. Lol
GdTokyo
So, your case is "The bad man published nasty but true things about me! Make him pay!"?
That is weak even for you. It is of the public interest. It is factually correct. As for the NYT, case closed.
As for Mary, I forgot that a judge already adjudicated the NDA when her book came out. He ruled it was far too vague and that the NDA did not cover 3rd parties - in that case a publisher, in this case the paper of public record.
So No, no you don't. Trump has no leg to stand on and it neither do you.
Blacklabel
If what Mary Trump did was done to you or to someone you liked, you would definitely have a problem with it.
Because it is wrong, and she and the NY Times deserve to get sued.
GdTokyo
I seem to remember that he lost his re-election bid, tried to overthrow a free and fair election that he lost (and failed) and tried to incite an insurrection to overthrow a co-equal branch of govt (and failed by less margin than I would have liked).
Seems to me, we (which is not just "the left" but a lot of people who find him an anathema to democracy) DID get rid of him.
agondocz
Perhaps the lawsuit serves as a distraction for the New York Times story about his campaign knowing that the Dominion voting machine claims were baseless.
GdTokyo
"I don't like it" does not equal cause of action. It has to be knowingly false (it isn't) and published with an intent to harm (I would say that a 10 year scheme to defraud NYC of millions in tax revenue is in the public interest - but that's just me.)
It's wrong? Gee, I think defrauding the tax authorities of HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS is wrong. I think hiding it is wrong I think cheating your family members out of their inheritance is wrong. Unlike your claim, all of these are legitimate causes of action.
"The bad man published mean things about me!!!" Is not a cause of action.
bass4funk
I vehemently disagree, I think the case is in good standing, he should prevail on this.
Not going forward, but then again, the Dems lost at impeaching him for 3rd time and trying to convict him. Now they’re in trouble.
From the establishment swamp GOP that is true and now they’re finding out with each passing day that no one wants them or that they have anyone that could pose a threat to Trump, so they don’t have any options other than Pompeo or DeSantis who are also anti-establishment.
GdTokyo
Clean up to aisle 5, The man-baby is throwing a fit and needs a WAAAAmublance, stat
ulysses
Oh it does sir, it goes to prove his character, once the courts realize what a fine upstanding businessman he is, they will award him billions, not just 100 million.
ulysses
If the former guy can prove Mary’s information was wrong, he doesn’t have anything to worry I guess.
I cannot believe for one moment he is not a fine upstanding billionaire like the rest of us!
GdTokyo
Then you exhibit poor judgment and are vulnerable to fraudsters. You are also not an attorney nor know anyone who is because any law student at any accredited law school would site case, precedent and then for good measure sit on a whoopie cushion when discussing the merits of this case.
I urge you not to open any e-mails from Nigerian Princes.
Strangerland
Not if it's the truth! Then there's nothing to sue for.
bass4funk
I doubt he’s worried. The man is from Queens.
Not me that’s for sure.
With all due respect you don’t know who I know.
GdTokyo
Uylsses, to your excellent point reprinted below:
Mary submitted court records and documents submitted by Trump and Trump org. (Are you listening Trump fan-boys?)
In order to prove that these documents are false or defamatory, Trump would have to admit that documents of record SUBIMITTED ON HIS BEHALF were knowingly false and intentionally submitted as such.
Oops.... It seems like SOMEONE might not have thought this whole law suit thing all the way through to it's logical conclusion.
Would you agree, Ulysses?
ulysses
I agree with everything sir, except that a Phd from trump University is not a piece of paper, it’s carved in Gold.
Strangerland
Remember, these are the same people that claimed election fraud, and their evidence was... um... lots of um bigly bad stuff. Just like he was bigly badly defamed this time, right?
Yeah, right.
stormcrow
Trump is such a spoiled crybaby.
lincolnman
Anyone else see another typical weak Trump deflection attempt as Woodward's and Costa's new book rolls out with new bombshells of Trump's perfidy.....
What shocked me was that Trump's team knew all along that the "rigged" story regarding Dominion voting machines was all a big lie....
https://news.yahoo.com/memo-reveals-trump-campaign-knew-211645444.html
Talk about winning your suit? That's the smoking gun in Dominion's suit against Giuliani, Powell, OANN, Newsmaxx, etc.. Fox was smart enough to fire Lou Dobbs when he went rogue and now refuses to let any of its hosts or guests mention Dominion.
And Trump is next since he continues to spread the Big Lie...
bass4funk
Nothing was mentioned about his university as well, but as for university a lot of the Washington elite went and looking at the status of the nation, not really helping.
No, the left should sit back and let this play out
I disagree, quite the opposite
nishikat
Trump people think that Trump University is the best and is better than Harvard. He hand selected the professors himself and has the best to make everyone who attends succeed.
badsey3
The fundamental core of this case is the NDA that Mary Trump signed. Fred Trump (Donald Trump's Dad) always took financial care of Mary Trump's brother that had development issues. When Fred died that stopped and Mary's mother was left out of the will (Mary's Father Fred Trump JR already died and also worked for Donald Trump). Mary's family sued the estate of Fred Trump and signed this NDA in the process. I believe Donald still pays for Mary's brothers care as part of that settlement.
This lawsuit has really nothing to do with Donald J Trump at all. The lawsuit is Mary Trump vs the Estate of Fred Trump as originally settled and agreed upon. So the question is did Mary Trump break her agreement with the Fred Trump Estate? -And if she did what are the liabilities of doing that.
ulysses
Sir, that is because the Washington elite aren’t from trump University.
Also I forgot to mention that I also got a diamond studded crown from trump University.
lincolnman
After all his lawyers have either bailed on him or have been disbarred and in jail, Trump must be really scraping the bottom of the barrel....
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in New York, alleges that the Times participated in an “insidious plot” with Mary Trump to obtain his private tax files, which were then used in its bombshell reporting about his financial history, The Daily Beast reported.
*“But on page one, it says, “The defendants’ actions were motivated by a personal vendetta and their desire to gain fame, notoriety, acclaim and a financial windfall and were further intended to advance their political agenda,” Maddow said. “Then it says this: *‘The brazenness of the defendants’ actions cannot be understated.’”
https://news.yahoo.com/msnbc-hosts-crack-over-error-065806463.html
Get it? They used understated when they meant overstated....
Definitely Trump U law grads...
I hope he's not using them for the 27 criminal investigations and civil suits he's already facing. Wait, on second thought I hope he does...
theFu
Mr. Ex-President, Fake news.
badsey3
https://www.mhpbooks.com/the-time-donald-trump-kicked-his-nephews-sick-baby-off-the-family-insurance-plan/
Mary's family got $200K it seems, but her mother divorced Fred Jr and remarried. -So William is not Fred Jr's child.
GdTokyo
Or as the FFG's "administration" used to call it "Infrastructure Week!"
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
Yeah, this lawsuit is going to go about as the one trying to stop Mary Trump from speaking last year, citing the NDA. Hey how did that one go, can someone fill me in?
https://people.com/politics/judge-rules-for-mary-trump-in-memoir-lawsuit/
However said this was meant as a distraction from the new Bob Woodward book is right. This is yet another SLAPP suite from Trump.
GdTokyo
Actually rather a lot of people have mentioned Trump "University". It just so happens that none of them are you.
Why would that be?
Could it be perhaps because it was not an actual University?
Could it be perhaps it was a con-job to divest the gullible from their money using the Trump "Brand" to offer false promises never kept?
Or perhaps because in a massive class-action suit which he was almost guaranteed to lose Trump, who in his own words "never settles" (BTW, this is a lie) settled for $20 million?
Or perhaps you didn't mention it (and several other people did) because it is illustrative of Trump's basic business model, which is to say fraud?
To be fair, it could be all of them. (Hint: it's all of them.)
lincolnman
Ok....Trump is suing his niece for helping to release his tax returns - something he promised to do at least 20 times....like this;
2013: Trump started saying this in January, telling Fox News that releasing the returns is a "great thing" because it lets a person prove "you've been successful, and that you've made a lot of money." "I actually think it's a positive," he said.
2014: "If I decide to run for office, I'll produce my tax returns, absolutely. And I would love to do that"
2015: Months before announcing his presidential candidacy, Trump assured that he'd release the returns as part of his proof that he "would make money for our country."
2016: Trump said he and his campaign were "working on" getting the returns out, but it was hard because it "is not, like a normal tax return."
And his lawyers think he can win this? Must be still listening to Crazy Rudy...
Next week: Trump is going to sue himself for not getting the border wall built...
GdTokyo
I sure hope his attorneys got their fees paid up front in cash.....
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
lol really? You can't understand why someone would want to see Trump's taxes, when he built his whole campaign on his reputation as a "genius" businessman.
bass4funk
Ok, but seriously, you find out and how does that help you at this point in time? Doesn’t put food on your table, won’t lower taxes, won’t unify the nation, so what’s the uptick?
So when any, and I mean any conservative does the same exact thing to cash in on fame, you’re ok with it, right?
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
At this point in time? lolz This happened over a year ago now, that only person this SLAPP suite helps now is Trump, who is desperately trying to deflect from Bob Woodward's new book. lolz
Absolutely no problem with that. In terms of ways of getting rich, book royalties and speaking fees are perhaps the two least exploitative ways to do it.
ShinkansenCaboose
Kind of tough for me to construct an opinion on this. I don’t recall the last time I ever paid US taxes.
Am definitely not buying the book. Have no interest in reading more about what a loser he really was and is.
SuperLib
Yep, msat likely a distraction, especially with the news coming out about the memo from the Trump campaign trying to invalidate democracy in America via Pence.
Or maybe he will just use it for fundraising. Someone has to pay the rent the Trump PAC pays to Trump Tower.
GdTokyo
To further Takeda's point:
So your argument is "sure he lied and cheated. Maybe he was vulnerable to blackmail by foreign powers or domestic interests, but what does it really matter now?"
Seriously, THAT is what you are going with?
Numan
This is all a scam! First, he wants to hurt his niece by forcing her to spend money on a legal defense. Second, he wants to use this as an excuse to beg rubes to donate to his SuperPac for his legal defense. Most of the money going to pay his loan debts.
His 100 million dollar loan for his hotel was just put on the banking watch list!
He is creating publicity to get money from ignorant supporters give him more money for nothing.
GdTokyo
And has already been adjudicated (that means ruled on). It was found to be overly vague and unenforceable. Furthermore, the court found that it didn't forbid 3rd parties, then the publisher - now the NYT from reporting factual information that they attained.
Do try to keep up.
bass4funk
Bob Woodward??? ROFL! Ok…
Will definitely remember that one, good to know.
This is where property and other investments come in.
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
There's nothing funny about Bob Woodward. He's an actual journalist, with actual bona fides.
GdTokyo
So you discount the reporting of a Pulitzer Prize winner. Also THIS specific article in the NYT which (checks notes) also won a Pulitzer.
Perhaps you would like the award winning journalism of Judge box-o-wine? Or perhaps Bill O' of "I swear it was a Peabody and no, I only paid the 30 million to shut them up!" fame?
Let's see, NYT and WAPO have won a grand total of (quick google search) 201 Pulitzer Prizes for journalism.
Judge box-o-wine's "news" network? 0.
I think the sentient can make a rational judgement on which side has credibility here.....
GdTokyo
You mean Trump Hotel in DC which is now on the market (so far unsold) for the second time?
Or perhaps the golf courses in Scotland which have never turned a profit?
Or the Trump courses in FL which are now trying to get a variance to open a casino because they are bleeding cash? (This would seem like a bad idea given Trump's previous experiences running casinos, but I digress...)
Long story short: his "Empire" (House of cards built on a shaky debt foundation would be a more apt analogy) is collapsing. There is approximately zero chance the businesses will generate the necessary free cash flow to service the $400 million coming due in less than 2 years. AND.... His chances of re-financing are slightly lower than my chances of becoming a commander of the Space Shuttle (Full disclosure: The program has been cancelled and I do not as yet have a private pilot's license.)
One would think a business professional such as yourself would be able to see this given the abundant open-source information available, ROFL.....
bass4funk
There's a lot of funny things about Woodward, credibility and listing historical facts are definitely not one of his strong suits.
Scrutinize it and putting it in its proper context is more like it.
No, just someone without a political bias and personal contempt.
You're making it worse, any other fact based media outlet you have or just only liberal bias and Trump hating msm junk?
Depends. I see it differently.
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
lol According to whom? You? His numerous awards beg to differ.
Blacklabel
If Mary Trump is not legally allowed to possess those documents and the NY Times was not legally allowed to publish "stolen" documents then this will be a different story next time.
nishikat
How low should they be? What %age? And why do Trump people live in Japan with higher taxes than in the US under any president?
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
lol Well, they aren't stolen. No one is even making that argument. Also, it's already been established she didn't break the NDA. I know it must be painful to see the emperor isn't wearing any clothes, but you should really focus a bit more on the message and not the messenger. https://people.com/politics/judge-rules-for-mary-trump-in-memoir-lawsuit/
ulysses
Well that has been established that it was legal, the suit is a publicity stunt which will backfire real bad.
I would love to see the former guy depose, it won't take him more than a words to commit perjury !!!
Peter14
Just another frivolous law suit to add to the multitude of what...thousands? Trump is a lawyers best friend, when he pays his bills.