Donald Trump has threatened countless lawsuits during his long, long life. Usually the threats have been hollow because he didn’t follow through. Why? Well, he’s always had a short attention span and been easily distracted. Sometimes, especially against small business owners he’s stiffed the threat was enough to make them settle. And sometimes, a lawyer or advisor made him realize that if he filed in court and actually pushed a claim, HE would be open to Discovery. He might have loved the idea that he’d get his hands on all kinds of information, but when it finally settled in that HE would have to give up all kinds of information he’s usually backed off.
There’s an awful lot in Trump’s history he never, EVER wants to be out there in the public domain. He’s been furious that even a small portion of his business dealings and taxes have been revealed via court proceedings. However other than his magic bone spurs, and the letter daddy bought from the Podiatrist to keep him from military service Trump has managed to keep crucial health details private. However, such has been his anger over his help from Putin in 2016 gnawed at him in 2022 he sued Pulitzer for awarding a prize for stellar coverage of it all. He got his publicity and even got back into the White House but he just couldn’t let this go. Now, according to an excellent write-up in the Atlanta Black Star he’s been hit with a doozy of a subpoena.
Trump’s stupidity about the Russian factor in 2016 is stunning. Remember, he publicly asked for their help and withing a day or two Wikileaks delivered a trove of information Putin’s team had given it. We also know there was a meeting and other handwritten communication between Trump, Don Jr. and Russians including Putin himself even before that! I go back and forth on whether Rod Rosenstein talked with Trump about the real master stroke, but Rod deserves his own special place in hell for telling Mueller the FBI would handle the Russia investigating and pass any leads to them, while telling his new FBI Director Mueller was looking into that same area. A LOT fell through the cracks but Mueller’s final report was still damning.
For all that, Trump weathered that storm. Yes, he got his butt whipped in 2020 and it’s likely his ongoing kowtowing to Putin was a factor with memories of the Mueller report AG Barr torpedoed nagging at voters, but Trump got himself back in the White House! During the intervening years was when he filed his lawsuit. It seems to have sat on the back burner and to be honest I’d forgotten about it. However now that he’s President again Trump is using all his power to extract revenge on any and all he feels are ‘enemies.’ The DOJ is in this term not only his personal legal defense law firm, it’s his legal attack dog!
Bullshit prosecutions have been taking place and despite the fact Trump and his minions keep losing (reminiscent of all those legal losses in 2020) he keeps forcing things. That gets us back to this lawsuit against Pulitzer. As the linked article (well worth your time) explains their subpoena for discover is comprehensive. As I noted it covers everything to do with Trump’s finances and also his health:
The potential comeuppance landed last week as the Pulitzer Prize Board escalated its legal fight with the president by turning a 2022 defamation lawsuit back on him, filing sweeping discovery demands that would require Trump to produce years of tax returns, detailed financial records, and even medical and prescription histories if he intends to claim damages.
Let’s take a closer look at just what the Pulitzer attorney’s are demanding Trump to produce. The December 11 filing gives him 30 days, and also states any claims of ‘privilege’ must be justified in the response to the subpoena. (Trump will of course claim ALL of it is privileged!) Now, things like taxes and business records might seem kind of bland but it turns out some interesting specific things are part of the subpoena. Basically they’re saying if Trump wants to claim financial damages then by golly he has to PROVE he was financially damaged. So they aren’t just asking for a bunch of business records but all tax filings in all jurisdictions including ‘schedules and worksheets.’
Essentially the Pulitzer attorney are saying if Trump wants to claim financial damages he’s by god got to prove it with more than his “You guys hurt my reputation and it cost me money” whining. They are (correctly) saying he’s got to provide actual DOCUMENTATION, via turning over detailed records of “all sources” of income, financial holdings, and liabilities over the same period.” What grabbed my attention is they also want documentation from Trump regarding the E. Jean Caroll and New York state lawsuits.
What really is interesting given all the coverage of Trump’s health in his second term is the part of the subpoena asking for MEDICAL records. That might seem like if not overkill then at least a stretch. However, it was Trumpty and his lawyers who opened this particular door.
The request also reaches into Trump’s health records if he seeks damages related to physical, mental, or emotional injury; this would require he turn over comprehensive medical and psychological records dating back to 2015, including prescription drug histories and documentation from his annual physicals; if he is not seeking such damages, the action demands that he state that explicitly in writing.
It’s not news that Trump is famously thin-skinned. However hurt fee-fees are something that in court don’t make much of claim. “Distress” and to a degree that warrants awarding legal damages also requires documentation. That means all kind of medical records and we all know how jealously Trump has guarded those! Even if there wasn’t regular and ongoing discussion of his obvious physical and mental decline (not that he was mentally or physically fit enough for the job when he was sworn in for his first term) claiming legal damages in a lawsuit requires documentation:
The request also reaches into Trump’s health records if he seeks damages related to physical, mental, or emotional injury; this would require he turn over comprehensive medical and psychological records dating back to 2015, including prescription drug histories and documentation from his annual physicals; if he is not seeking such damages, the action demands that he state that explicitly in writing.
There is NO FREAKING WAT Trump would allow the release of any of that. He’d have to drop that part of his claim against the Pulitzer Board to prevent it and it would lead to eventually dropping the whole lawsuit. Unlike some small business owner he doesn’t want to pay after work is completed on one of his properties the Pulitzer folks can afford first class legal representation. Trump doesn’t want to actually PAY for equally good lawyers. The kind he needs will demand hefty retainers up-front. For all his new ill-gotten wealth at heart Trump is still a cheapskate.
He might dream of crowing about collection Billions from the Pulitzer Prize Board but as the headline of the linked article states they refused to be bullied like some journalism outlets have. What makes this stand out to me is that unlike other outlets that have stood up to Trump, the folks at Pulitzer have with this (justifiably) breathtaking in scope subpoena is legally punched the bully in the nose. I wonder if Trump was wearing a red tie because this had to make him bleed!
In the end, I truly think the part asking for all that medical history will scare Trump into being the one who backs down. Trump is fighting to keep his head above water in storm ravaged seas these days. With it being the holidays and people thinking about Christmas and all that goes with it this would be the perfect time for Trump to quietly make a filing with the court withdrawing this lawsuit. I doubt he will, so keep an eye on this because come January and the deadline for response to Pulitzer’s subpoena hits this stuff about Trump’s MEDICAL records could turn into one hell of a big story.
Friends, I know everyone begs you for money. I promise, among all those asking for spare change, we are the smallest and the hardest working. We’re a group of old, disabled people, except for one writer in his mid-50s. The rest of us are in our sixties and seventies, and this is a labor of love. All we’re asking for is the chance to keep telling the truth about Trump and help ensure democracy survives. If you can help, please do. Thank you. Ursula
huh, so that’s how real lawyers do it. cool.
I love it when Karma and FAFO start working together. They get so much done.
Karma and FAFO working together. Awesome. Hope you don’t mind if I (and others) use that in the future.