This is going to get hot and heavy and fast. I mean, fast as in laws of physics fast. Hit this link to hear Stephanie Grisham describe how “it’s my understanding that Melania has been really pressuring him [Trump] to go out there and defend himself in this particular case. So I think, absolutely, that he’s probably trying to defend himself with her.” This was in response to the host’s question whether Trump’s email meltdowns and protestations of innocence with respect to E. Jean Carroll were for “an audience of one,” namely his wife.
Could be. And there could be a number of reasons for that. First of all, you know Melania is talking to her own lawyers. That’s a no brainer. And they are undoubtedly describing to her some reasonable parameters of how these cases can go, in best case/worse case scenarios. Although, that said, I venture to say that very few, if any, lawyers presented an actual numeric figure to Melania like the one that the foreman of the jury read out in court in New York City on Friday.
$83.3 million is a significant chunk of change. And Melania had to have mightily cringed when she heard it. And what did she do after that? After the cringing? I’d be willing to bet that she went into blame and recriminations mode and who would be at the top of that list? You got it. Alina Habba. Who else?
Habba has been strolling around Mar-a-Lago in her bikini for some time now.
I doubt that Melania cares about that. In fact, she might be relieved to think that Donald’s got an outlet for his sexual fantasies, at least, and maybe more and that relieves Melania of having to deal with any of it. So I’m sure she doesn’t give a rat’s zazz about any of that.
But that kind of money? Eight-three million bucks?!? Oh, damn straight she cares about that. And this case does not look to be appealable. So what that boils down to, is that Donald hired himself some looker to do political theater, instead of a competent trial lawyer and that error in judgement is now going to affect what’s left for Melania and Barron when Trump finally kicks the can and all the dust settles.
Ergo, Melania is out for blood. And in all fairness, who wouldn’t be? Because there is.no.appeal. There was no reversible error committed — or if there was, it escaped the notice of literally tens, if not hundreds of thousands of competent trial lawyers watching this show, just like you and me. One of them, a Nashville attorney named Brian Manookian, posted this on Twitter.
And let me do a plot spoiler for you. You can’t argue incompetence of counsel. In a criminal trial, yes. But not in a civil trial.
Let me ruin the suspense for everyone. Trump doesn’t have an appeal. I know the talking heads on TV (who have never tried a case or appealed a jury verdict) have to mention it. Here’s why it isn’t going to fly. To have a meritorious appeal, you have to preserve a reversible error at the trial level. This is why you hire competent counsel.
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You need someone who actually knows the rules of evidence and procedure. Alina Habba had no clue what was occurring throughout the trial. She not only failed to preserve any remote grounds for appeal, like a moron, she repeatedly and unintentionally waived them over and over. For example, she kept saying “no objection” as exhibits were entered into evidence.
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It appeared to me that she was saying that because she that’s something she had heard real lawyers say before. Unfortunately for Mr. Trump, what she was doing over and over was waiving his ability to appeal over those evidentiary issues. Because she is a moron who would rather *play* lawyer than do the research to *be* a lawyer. [Emphasis mine.]
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There’s no appeal here. And because people have asked me in the past, no, there is no such thing as an incompetent counsel defense in civil cases. That’s for criminal matters.
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Take this verdict to the bank.
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Well, friends, I’m sure that Melania can find this on Twitter as well as you and I can. So that means that Alina Habba has cost Trump $83.3 million bucks — and she’s not through. The tab could get a lot higher. Do you think Melania’s going to allow it? She’s invested too much time in this circus. Her son is going to college in the fall and she wants to make sure he gets a good start in life. Plus, I’m sure she’d like a nice, comfortable sinecure for the rest of her life, off of Trump’s remaining wealth, dead or alive.
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Trump will can Habba before the end of the month. Or, on February 1, if Judge Arthur Engoron delivers another spectacular judgment against Trump on January 31, which is the last date such a verdict is expected to be rendered. So Trump may have even more reason to fire Habba in a few days. I think that Habba is going to take her place under the bus with so many people from Trump world. The only way Habba can remain is if Trump thinks it will look bad to MAGA to fire his chief spokeswoman and cheerleader. I’m sure these deliberations are being made as we speak. OTOH, once Trump condemns somebody, MAGA accepts it unthinkingly. That’s how cults work.
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And, on yet another hand, Trump may not be able to replace Habba that easily. The incompetence, yes, in a heartbeat. But the sycophancy and the appearance and the willingness to identify herself with such a losing cause. There may not be too many women with licenses to practice law and the right appearance who want to go down that path.
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We could have told you, Alina. Everything Trump Touches Dies. And now it’s your turn.
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As men used to say in exclusive male company before PC made men look around before speaking, that’s one expensive ‘piece of ass’, talking about habba dabba do. You may be correct about Natasha if more than legal services are being rendered, but I’m not so certain that the green eyed monster of jealousy hasn’t crept in, especially since it’s in front of the world. At any rate, the hopeless appeal will rack up interest. I bet one person is feeling financially secure. Jean Carroll. I wonder if he now can recognize her versus Marla?
My take on this is that Melania could give a damn if Trump is screwing one woman, ten women, or the mantlepiece. Her concern is security for herself and her son. And Habba lost the trial, bigly. If she had persuaded the jury to be more lenient, it wouldn’t have been so bad. But she blew it. There is no appeal. Trump’s on the hook, Barron is that much poorer.
I honestly don’t think there’s any jealousy involved. Face saving, humiliation, all that, yes. But jealousy. Nah. No way.
Ursula…one of the most difficult things a man must come to grips with in my vast experience after many relationships and three marriages…is we don’t really know the mystery that is a woman. I am fortunate however to have had a wonderful mom, two loving sisters, and two wonderful grown daughters. I defer to your expertise! Ha.
Although, in Melania’s case, everyone knows she married him for his money. There is no mystery here – even for trump.
I question whether any attorney, competent or otherwise, could have won this defamation case. The fool never keeps his pie-hole shut. He is always spewing crap better left unsaid. He is incapable of doing anything other than defaming someone if they say anything counter to what he says, thinks, etc. He got this judgement because of his big mouth–in the courtroom. Short of an attorney tackling the fool’s ass and muzzling him-how were they supposed to keep him from mouthing off?
Yeah, the silly twit attorney who puts more value in the fleeting looks department rather than knowledge was never going to win. I’m just thinking neither would a half-way decent one.
But that wasn’t the point of this thread. Ursula answered a question I asked yesterday about the appeal process. I asked if it could be appealed. This answer is even better: Yes, it can be appealed, but here’s why it will lose on appeal. How’s dem apples for ya?!? 🙂
It wasn’t ONLY because of his big mouth and threatening mouth noises when he was in the courtroom (to say nothing of his smell!!!). That certainly didn’t help the bottom line. Rather, it was Habba’s inexperience in ‘lawyering’ that will crash the appeal itself. Because she did not object to evidence being introduced, per Mr. Manookian.
Hey, Donny, was the good looks worth it to you? Didn’t Habba mention something about looks vs smarts just last week? I’ll bet she wishes she could take that one back.
It is amazing that so many people call him a “mob boss”. He isn’t a mob boss. He is a wannabe mob boss. Mob bosses aren’t this stupid and they do know how to keep their mouths shut.
I wonder just how much Melania has already been given, up front, as part of the pre-nup. Sure she would like more, but I expect that she has already been paid millions in appearance fees.
Now that all those pesky file boxes have been removed, surely there is a basement room for Habba to be kept in, at last until another comes along, younger, prettier and maybe competent.
Habba can sleep next to the toilet. LOL!
Maybe Melania’s talking to lawyers to see about getting rid of Barron’s “competition” in Dumb Donald’s will. A decade ago, Barron could’ve had a very comfortable inheritance even if he were stuck with just one-fourth (or one-fifth, depending on whether Tiffany’s in the will) of Donald’s fortune (not accounting for whatever goes, or might go, to Melania and the grandkids) but now? After all of Donald’s little grifts and his financial “miscalculations,” there’s probably not going to be any “fortune” left for anyone to inherit. Of all of Trump’s presumptive “heirs,” Ivanka is probably going to be the only one who won’t be needing to rely on Daddy’s money to keep her family going. As to Qusay and Uday, they’ll probably not only be losing out on the lifestyles they’ve gotten used to but they’ll probably be losing their “lovely lady loves.” You just gotta know that no woman was getting with Qusay and Uday because of their charms and personalities.
Qusay and Uday. Ha! THAT made me laugh! Probably go right over Eric and Jr’s teensy weensy little heads, but everyone here go it. Very true, sadly.
Soooo Mellie’s advice to dingleberry is that he should have defended himself. At first glance I think–do you honestly think your husband is capable of such a thing? If so, you’re dumber than dingleberry. However, a few seconds later this comes to me–she really wants him gone, out of her life or doesn’t want to go thru the president thing again. Doesn’t matter really. She’s out for blood and wants his ass to suffer. Nobody with an ounce of sense advises this fool to defend himself-he cannot even express himself coherently f.f.s. unless they are really pissed at the fool. Doesn’t take much thinking to remember the recent funeral.
Well, here’s to hoping she keeps suggesting this course of action and even more so, hoping he decides to take her advice if only for the sheer entertainment of such a trial.
I believe 2 things about Melania:
1. she loves her son
2. she is a relatively skilled gold digger
I think she must have forced an amendment to her prenup after Barron was born and, with all that she had to hold over Trump (things that might have already endangered his interests in the prenup), she got some pretty good assurances. I hope so for Barron’s sake!
Melanoma needs to.go while the going is good. Get the True ump.Tower penthouse, a nice secure settlement, and a solid trust fund for Barron. Before it is gone.
How the blazes did Habba pass the bar exam ( JFK just flunked it twice ( quite likely.on purpose because his interest was in the arts; did a lot of acting at the Irish Arts,Center)? She doesn’t seem precisely aware of civil procedure or much about the law period. Hope she is independently wealthy because Donnie isn’t gonna pay her a dime.
Because he would have been SO MUCH better at defending himself.
Probably would have gotten a judgement north of $100 mil.
Only the best words. Very stable genius.