Most of us know by now that Donald Trump uses every available opportunity to complain about “election interference,” especially when testifying in court. He views his courtroom testimony time as a free advertisement for himself and to kvetch about all the ways he’s been wronged. So it takes a smart lawyer to keep him on track.
Thursday, as the former president was testifying during the E. Jean Carroll case, Carroll’s attorney did just that by using a clever technique, said former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti, a frequent commentator on MSNBC, Raw Story reports. He noted Trump’s brief responses were no accident and on social media he credited a move by Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, of Kaplan, Hecker & Fink LLP.
“Very savvy move by Robbie Kaplan to resist the urge to ask many questions of Trump,” Mariotti said, noting that Trump tends to speechify during his testimony.
“Any questions she asked would give him an opportunity to riff on irrelevant subjects and get his story out in front of the jury, which he and his lawyer haven’t done well otherwise, the former federal prosecutor added.
Very savvy move by Robbie Kaplan to resist the urge to ask many questions of Trump.
Any question she asked would give him an opportunity to riff on irrelevant subjects and get his story out in front of the jury, which he and his lawyer haven’t done well otherwise. https://t.co/ytMJujlenn
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) January 25, 2024
What a relief that Kaplan was able to keep Trump’s answers short. That’s a rare thing. This is a man who rambles on about who and what done him wrong whenever he can. He’s frequently attacked Carroll, a former columnist for Elle Magazine, at every opportunity. Trump has even harassed Judge Lewis Kaplan when possible, so the fact that Kaplan gave him little room to talk is actually kind of amazing.
And it led union lawyer Michael Murphy to respond to Mariotti’s post by noting: “Why not get him to wax melodic about his immense wealth?”
Why not get him to wax melodic about his immense wealth?
— Michael Murphy (@CZMurphy) January 25, 2024
That could catch the attention of New York Attorney General Letitia James and possibly give her more to go on, especially since Trump was recently deposed in the $370 million civil fraud case.
Other X users had thoughts as well.
Robbie Kaplan is a “real” lawyer unlike Habba, who is a lawyer in name only.
— Lisa Boisclair🌻 (@designer367) January 25, 2024
It’s unfortunate he wasn’t asked how to spell “stolen”
— Mark (@mark_dillman) January 25, 2024
Something tells me the jury has the general idea that Trump is a proud and serial rapist.
— 🇺🇸A Wake in the Desert (@Desert_yoSemite) January 25, 2024
“I’d rather be the hammer than the nail.” Paul Simon