# Delay in prosecution of Trump **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 15, 2021, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708 "2021-09-15T17:47:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/185 "2021-10-09T20:29:31Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > No answers, no perjury. And no admissions to use in a potential criminal trial for sexual assault. He’s not in danger of being charged with sexual assault. The statute of limitations will surely have run on that. This is a defamation case. He is at no criminal risk if he answers a question truthfully about whether he uttered the words that constitute the alleged defamation. I’m aware that defendants in a civil case can plead the fifth, but in this case if he does, he’s going to lose the case at trial. I do agree with others who’ve said he is easily goaded into going against whatever response he is advised might be in his best interest. Could be fun. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/186 "2021-10-09T20:46:26Z")
Donald Trump being grilled by a tough prosecutor is one of my most important daydreams. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/187 "2021-10-09T20:48:15Z")
> [@naita](#): > > I think his lawyers will tell him not to answer any questions, and then he’ll do it anyway. But will what he says be pertinent to the question asked? Or will he give rambling “answers” that eventually turn into airing grievances such a how the election was stolen? To Trump, it’s always Festivus. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/188 "2021-10-09T20:58:05Z")
I’ve watched him respond in other depositions from years ago when he was more sharp. His standard tactic is to simply repeat, “I don’t recall,” over and over again. Unfortunately for him, this may not get him out of potential contempt charges. > **["I Don’t Recall": Witness Memory Lapses and Contempt of Court](https://www.litedepalma.com/i-dont-recall-witness-memory-lapses-and-contempt-of-court)** > > Testifying at a deposition can be a stressful experience. Witnesses must testify under oath before many lawyers, with a court reporter transcribing everything they say. Sometimes depositions are even videotaped. It is no wonder that witnesses can be... The important quote: > What can be even more stressful for the witness are instructions from their own attorneys, who, along with many other details, will tell them not to “guess” or “speculate” on their answers. Lawyers may also tell witnesses that if they don’t remember certain events, they can simply say “I don’t recall.” In general, such instructions are not improper. A witness cannot, however, repeatedly answer “I don’t recall” to avoid truthfully answering questions. Being deliberately obstructive could result in a contempt finding, sanctions and even criminal punishment. Oh, darn. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/189 "2021-10-09T21:03:43Z")
> [@Temporary\_Name](#): > > I also believe Trump fully knows what the truth is and what a lie is and that telling the truth is supposed to be good and telling a lie is supposed to be bad. Sorry **iiandyiiii** , I believe you are mistaken there. Where you are one-hundred percent correct, is that what is supposed to be doesn’t matter at all to Trump (and those like him). He knows, he just doesn’t care. He would much, much rather live in a false world where he gets to dictate reality than one where reality is dictated upon him. > > He does know he lies but he does it so often and so intentionally that sometimes he forgets which parts of HIS reality are real and which are lies. But he always, always, always does everything for his own benefit. His own immediate benefit at that. He can’t even tell a lie that delays gratification. He will lie to benefit what he wants right now- then tell an opposite lie tomorrow to avoid the consequences of the first lie. I agree with this. I think that, for him, being truthful is on a par with how he thinks about paying income taxes and following laws and regulations – in his mind, that’s for suckers. I do believe that he knows when he lies, but he also believes that, at that moment, the lie is of bigger benefit to him, personally (particularly if it is in the service of making him seem more successful or generally awesome), and that is always his primary, if not only, motivation. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/190 "2021-10-09T22:24:16Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I do believe that he knows when he lies … I am not entirely convinced of that, though. He lives in a Matrix of his own making, so his perception of reality skews more toward what he _thinks_ the truth _ **should be** _. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/191 "2021-10-09T22:29:29Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > He lives in a Matrix of his own making, so his perception of reality skews more toward what he _thinks_ the truth _ **should be** _ . Possibly so. He and his father were apparently both fans of Norman Vincent Peale, and his book and philosophy “[The Power of Positive Thinking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Positive_Thinking).” While I don’t think that Trump buys into the religious side of Peale’s book, the whole idea of creating the reality you want by visualization and stating that it’s so seems pretty congruent with how he speaks and behaves. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/192 "2021-10-09T22:33:29Z")
I think whether he lies or doesn’t, simply doesn’t enter into his consideration. He is amoral to the bone. He says whatever serves him best. Nothing else matters. Whether it’s a lie is completely irrelevant. Usually a lie serves his purposes better than the truth, so he lies. A lot. In short, if it’s good for Trump, it’s good. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/193 "2021-10-09T23:15:27Z")
I don’t think he has the mental capacity to know a truth from a lie or right from wrong. His cranium is an empty vessel. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2021, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/194 "2021-10-10T03:19:25Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I think whether he lies or doesn’t, simply doesn’t enter into his consideration. He is amoral to the bone. He says whatever serves him best. Nothing else matters. Whether it’s a lie is completely irrelevant. Usually a lie serves his purposes better than the truth, so he lies. A lot. > > In short, if it’s good for Trump, it’s good. I would take this idea further - it’s not just that he is amoral to the bone, he is selfish on a scale most of us would have difficulty wrapping our minds around. The ONLY thing that matters to him is Donald J. Trump, period. Consider this - if he were confronted with giving his life in order to save another life, who do you think he would do that for? I seriously doubt there is anyone that falls in that category. Certainly not Melania and not any of his kids, not Don Jr., not Eric, not Ivanka, not Tiffany and not even Barron. I truly believe he would allow each of them to be executed before he would ever say, “No, kill me instead.” I’m certain all of us have several people, possibly dozens or more, who we would give our lives to save. But I absolutely know there is no one DJT would do this for. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2021, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/195 "2021-10-10T03:52:25Z")
It’s not just that there’s no one he would give up his life to save. There’s no one he would give up his _lunch_ to save. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2021, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/196 "2021-10-10T16:47:54Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > He has value to encourage others in the future to assist Russia. If Russia gives him a cushy retirement, future corrupt assholes in politics will know that they’re guaranteed a cushy retirement in Russia if they do their bidding, even if they get caught. Or even if they cease to be of use. The PR value of Putin “hosting an exiled American President” is priceless. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2021, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/197 "2021-10-10T20:48:35Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > It’s not just that there’s no one he would give up his life to save. There’s no one he would give up his _lunch_ to save. No kidding. When faced with the choice between a hamberder and Ivanka’s life, he’s say something like “You know how I’ve always wanted to fuck you? Well, consider yourself fucked” as he grabs the lunch and watches his daughter dragged off to her execution. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/198 "2021-10-11T09:20:07Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > “You know how I’ve always wanted to fuck you? Well, consider yourself fucked” Let’s not do the incest joke thing, please. Trump would help someone if there was an angle in it for him. Other than that, it ain’t happening. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/199 "2021-10-11T12:14:53Z")
OK my apologies ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/200 "2021-10-11T15:48:48Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I think the most likely thing is that Trump will plead the fifth in response to every question. If you plead the fifth in a _civil_ case, the trier of fact is allowed to draw an adverse inference against you. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/201 "2021-10-11T19:42:33Z")
He might try to make a case that, since he was at the top of the government at the time, his reasons for making the allegedly defamatory statements against the plaintiff were a matter of national security and are classified. The plaintiff may, possibly, then attempt to get verification from the NSC or CIA or some other source, but that could prove challenging and/or beyond their means. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/202 "2021-10-11T20:04:44Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > the allegedly defamatory statements against the plaintiff were a matter of national security and are classified. Yeah, right… ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2021, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/203 "2021-10-12T00:44:31Z")
> [@naita](#): > > > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > > > I think the most likely thing is that Trump will plead the fifth in response to every question. At least, his lawyers will tell him not to answer any questions. > > I think his lawyers will tell him not to answer any questions, and then he’ll do it anyway. The thing about Trump is that he’s unpredictable. You can never pin him down. He certainly has traits that suggest how he will react to any given situation but you can’t count on it. Whatever he does seems to be part self-serving pragmatism, part spite, and part whim. He’s inconsistent. So he might legally hang himself over the objections of his advisors or he might clam up to avoid getting in trouble. I think either is equally likely. He’s like a Magic 8-Ball of awfulness. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2021, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708/204 "2021-10-12T02:05:08Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > He’s like a Magic 8-Ball of awfulness. So at this deposition, he’s going to say “Answer hazy, try again later.” to every question? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-in-prosecution-of-trump/950708.md?page=11)