Many lawyers have watched Donald Trump abuse the legal system over the years, filing frivolous case after frivolous case, often bullying his way to victory or favorable settlement against smaller net worth opponents.
Since he became president, and, especially, after he was soundly defeated by President Joe Biden, the tables have turned. The legal system seems to be the only place where Donald Trump’s actions and words have consequence. And Donald Trump is getting hammered in court.
The judge in NYC’s civil fraud case against the Trumps recently decided the evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that Trump and family fraudulently inflated property values for years. The trial is, essentially, a ‘damages only’ affair. Worse for Trump is that it is a bench trial; apparently, his attorneys neglected to request a jury, negating the possibility that a rogue, Trump-supporting juror prevents the inevitable outcome.
This man once boasted “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters.” He was probably right, but what’s more important right now, voters or freedom? Voters or net worth? ‘Teflon Don’ is finally discovering that illegal actions do have serious consequences in the civil and criminal justice system.
The oft-indicted former president is no stranger to fraud and dishonest business practices. In the 1970s, Trump and his father, Fred, were sued by the feds for violating the Fair Housing Act of 1968. Apparently, the Trumps did not wish to rent to Black people.
True to current form, the younger Trump blasted the government, whining that the case was “such outrageous lies.” In the end, the Trumps settled, agreeing not to discriminate against any person and to “thoroughly acquaint themselves” with the details of the Fair Housing Act. Father and son were also required to place ads informing minorities that they had equal opportunity to seek housing at Trump properties. Trump, true to form, declared victory. Does the resolution sound like “victory” to you?
In the early 1990s, federal investigators looked into Trump’s finances and determined that he could not be considered financially stable. They decided to look the other way and extend his casino license to save citizens’ jobs. Big mistake!
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Trump’s fuzzy math and dishonest financial dealings resulted in “willful and repeated” violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, and a $10,000,000 fine. His Taj Mahal casino went bankrupt in 2009 and changed ownership in 2015. How do you bankrupt a casino? Only in Trump-land.
More recently, multiple fraud lawsuits against him linked to now defunct Trump University were resolved for $25 million. The evidence in that case demonstrated that Trump knowingly, willfully, and unlawfully engaged in racketeering activity though the management of a fraudulent organization. He defrauded 5,000 students and was found personally liable. He also lost a sexual abuse trial to E. Jean Carroll and was ordered to pay $5,000,000 to his assault victim.
These days, aside from his current fraud trial, the former POTUS faces four criminal indictments related to his seditious behavior on January 6, 2021 and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, election interference in Georgia, and illegal removal of classified documents and conspiratorial activities to cover-up this crime.
Does anyone sense a pattern here?
Donald Trump is a serial criminal offender. The courtroom, a place where Donald Trump took unfair advantage for years, has now retitled the man who was, at various times, “Business Owner Trump,” “Real Estate Guru Trump,” and even “President Trump.” His new title? “Defendant Trump,” a perfect fit.
If you haven’t done so already, please check out Mark Bello’s ripped-from-the-headlines legal thrillers, all available online at Amazon and other major online booksellers. He has quite the hero in Attorney Zachary Blake, who fights for justice on all fronts. His books are Betrayal of Faith, Betrayal of Justice, Betrayal in Blue, Betrayal in Black, Betrayal High, Supreme Betrayal, Betrayal at the Border, You Have the Right to Remain Silent and his latest, and his latest, “The Final Steps – A Harbor Springs Cozy Legal Mystery. Also, he’s written a wonderful children’s book about bullying, “Happy Jack, Sad Jack.” For more info, just check markmbello.com.
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