Trump is suing NYT for libel. Here's how this could spectacularly backfire:

[DetlefK]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-campaigns-new-york-times-lawsuit-might-be-a-nightmarefor-trump?ref=home
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/02/trumps-defamation-suit-against-the-nyt-could-blow-up-in-his-face-in-spectacular-fashion-heres-how/

The re-election campaign argues the newspaper knew that Trump and his campaign were not corruptly involved with the Kremlin, but Lurie argues that a mountain of evidence — some reported by the Times and other outlets, and more in indictments filed by Robert Mueller — showed numerous links between the 2016 campaign and Russia.

“Since truth is a defense, if the Trump campaign’s case against Trump was to go forward to the discovery stage, the Times would inevitably seek to obtain evidence regarding whether Trump and his campaign did in fact enter into a quid pro quo arrangement with Putin,” Lurie wrote. “Furthermore, Trump himself would also certainly be a key witness, and would be called upon to provide testimony and documents.”

Getting Trump under oath might be such a sweet proposition that the Times might skip any attempt to dismiss the case and proceed directly to the discovery phase, Lurie wrote.

“If the Times employs that strategy, it will be difficult for Trump to maintain that the Constitution prohibits him from being required to testify,” Lurie wrote. “After all, the campaign, a corporation Trump controls, chose to bring the case, necessarily recognizing that its principal would have to be made available to provide evidence.”

Discovery works both ways.

If Trump's attornies ask for discovery of NYT-documents to prove that NYT acted with malice, then simultaneously the NYT-attornies have the right to discovery for Trump-documents that their accusations are correct.




When the DNC first talked about suing Wikileaks, Wikileaks was all giddy and happy.

Quote: "We are looking forward to the discovery-phase."

Then Wikileaks realized that discovery means that the DNC has the right to see internal Wikileaks-documents, and all of a sudden Wikileaks did everything they could to sabotage the case. The DNC even had to serve Wikileaks' attorney with court-papers via Twitter, because he had gone into hiding so he couldn't get served.

[Squinch]

1. The only question is how effectively has he stacked the courts?

[C_U_L8R]

2. New York State Court

Trump is playing checkers. And will get walloped.

[Squinch]

3. Ah! I didn't see that! Bring it, moran!

[3Hotdogs]

11. Finally, a poster that knows the correct spelling of moran.

[Squinch]

12. I learned it from republicans!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

20. Didn't it come from a anti-protest sign at Bush's ranch?

[Squinch]

21. Yes. "Get a brain morans."

I opted for that spelling rather than the Bugs Bunny spelling of "maroon."

[marble falls]

17. That would be m-a-r-o-o-n ...

[Squinch]

22. "Ignoranimus" is also one of my favorite words!

[hangaleft]

28. I like that word

Irregardless of the fact it’s not a real word

[wnylib]

23. Even if the courts rule in his favor,

the details in the process will be made public. Then let the public be the final jury.

This reminds me of an old Leon Uris book from decades ago, QB 7. Short summary: A doctor who participated in WWII Nazi experiments starts life over in the UK after the war. Takes a position in an obscure Arabic post for the UK where his work wins him notice. A brief mention of his war activities in a book prompts him to file a libel suit, secure in the belief that all records are long since gone and forgotten. Public opinion is in his favor, until facts and witnesses are revealed at trial. The jury decides that, technically, his reputation was ruined by the book. They award the doc one penny to indicate what his reputation was worth.

[muntrv]

4. Discovery should be fun.

[njhoneybadger]

5. I heard he's suing Coronavirus for loss of stock market earnings.

[AZ8theist]

16. you spelled it wrong..

It's "Caronavirus" according to the "Stable Jenius"....

[LiberalFighter]

6. What I would like to know are the individuals involved in filing it.

Their names and who they are need to come out from under the rock.

[onenote]

8. It's not a secret. It's Charles Harder.

It has been widely reported that the campaign is represented by Charles Harder, the same lawyer that sued Gawker into oblivion on behalf of Hulk Hogan.

[LiberalFighter]

13. Thanks

[gratuitous]

7. The point of the lawsuit is not to win

It's to rev up the persecution complex of Trump's supporters. "Help us in our epic battle against the failing New York Times and their urban, elitist, fake news! Write your check today for $100, $1,000, or $10,000 (preferred amount) to help President Trump stand tall for America!"

[blm]

10. ✔️

[blm]

9. A show for his base. He will drag it out loudly then end it quietly before

it gets to discovery.

[Botany]

14. Go for it Trump

Can't wait to get Flynn, Manafort, Cohn, Trump Jr., Parscale, and Donny to give depositions.

[kentuck]

15. Why??

He must reinforce the message that "Russia was a hoax" in the brains of his followers, just in case something huge were to break in the coming weeks.

[Ilsa]

18. I think the campaign is trying to scare off other publications, editors,

or anyone opposing Dear Leader from saying anything derogatory about him. If you do, you'll need millions for lawyers. No other peesident has done this, AFAIK.

[scarytomcat]

19. this could be a great long term story over many front page headlines

how could the Times turn this freebee down
go get'em donnieSue

[not_the_one]

24. Blatantly using the legal system to protect obvious criminal acts, should be a crime

in and of itself. The turd would be toast.

But, alas...

It seems that our complex legal system as been twisted more to getting the rich off, than merely protecting the innocent.

Remember the 11th commandment... And GOD said, "LET THERE BE LOOPHOLES".

Got money? It is more likely you will skate on a technicality, or your sentence will be reduced to probation, than you actually receiving cell time.

Out of all the guilty turdlettes surrounding the boss turd, only a handful are paying a minimal price. The rest (including the ENTIRE republican party) haven't been charged, and will get off scot free, "for the good of the country", "'cause we don't want to re-litigate the past". Done/done. Water/bridge. Bygones/bygones.

Meanwhile, HILLARY'S EMAILS are still an issue. We STILL hear chants of "Lock Her Up".

[progressoid]

25. It'll never get that far. This is just a PR trick.

[Pachamama]

26. Bring on the Discovery....

[RiverbendsJoe]

27. Trump should ask Oscar Wilde

about the “wisdom” of this legal strategy. When Wilde sued the Marquis of Queensberry for libel, it resulted in Wilde himself being prosecuted and convicted for gross indecency. https://g.co/kgs/QxPHMp