# NY AG Letitia James drops the (civil) hammer {On Trump & Family} \[9/21/2022\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [September 21, 2022, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991 "2022-09-21T16:13:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 37
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/722 "2023-10-19T19:26:40Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Also, a Congressman has asked Palm Beach to reappraise Maralago based on the Trump’s statements (and submitted financing documents) re: its net worth and to tax appropriately: Trump’s golf club in Westchester County can’t be far behind. > **[Trump fraud trial updates: Judge, NY AG argue for limited gag order in court...](https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/trump-fraud-trial/?id=103642561)** > > Get live updates from the trial of former President Trump in a $250 million fraud suit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/723 "2023-10-19T19:31:26Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > So, in a taped deposition shown today, Trump Organization CFO and accountant Allen Weisselberg testified that he wasn’t familiar with GAAP, an acronym for “generally accepted accounting principles” because he wasn’t a CPA (certified public accountant) and had never studied for the CPA exam. > > Donald Trump Jr. showed a higher level of knowledge about GAAP than the company’s chief accountant, admitting that he probably learned about them when he took Accounting 101 in business school. When asked what he remembered, he replied “that they’re generally accepted.” Maybe Weisselberg was outsourcing. > **[Ex-Trump Org CFO Allen Weisselberg Dealt Directly With His Son on Trump Tower...](https://themessenger.com/politics/trump-org-cfo-allen-weisselberg-son-jack-loan-fraud-trial)** > > Ladder Capital director Jack Weisselberg communicated with his father on big loans involving Trump Tower and 40 Wall Street. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/724 "2023-10-19T20:52:05Z")
The… Best… Men… It like that joke where a guy looking to hire an accountant rejected applicant after applicant who answered, “Four,” when asked how much is two plus two. Then one quick-checked the room, leaned in and quietly asked, “How much do you want it to be?” He got hired. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/725 "2023-10-19T22:04:16Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Also known as the king’s evil. Although he’s not a king. Not even the Burger King? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/726 "2023-10-19T22:19:30Z")
Burger clown more like. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/727 "2023-10-19T22:27:04Z")
There’s a Mr. Ronald here who would like to have a word with you about Trademark infringement. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/728 "2023-10-20T15:46:22Z")
More disparaging remarks about Engoron’s clerk … even _after_ the narrow gag order was issued? Say it isn’t so, Donald. Say. It. Isn’t. So. > **[Judge raises possibility of imprisonment for Trump for violating gag order...](https://news.yahoo.com/judge-threatens-imprison-trump-violating-151510500.html)** > > Justice Arthur Engoron said in court on Friday morning that Trump had posted on his social media account "an untrue and disparaging post about my clerk" and that he spoke to the former president about the matter, according to NBC News. This is a... > [@](#): > > (Reuters) -The judge presiding over Donald Trump’s $250 million civil fraud trial in New York raised the possibility on Friday of putting the former president behind bars after Trump failed to comply with a partial gag order requiring him to remove a post condemning the judge’s law clerk on social media, NBC News reported. > > Justice Arthur Engoron said in court on Friday morning that Trump had posted on his social media account “an untrue and disparaging post about my clerk” and that he spoke to the former president about the matter, according to NBC News. > > “I ordered him to remove the post immediately and he said he did take it down,” Engoron was quoted as saying by the news outlet. > > “Despite this order, last night I learned the offending post was never removed from a website. This is a blatant violation of the gag order. I made it clear (that) failure to comply will result in serious sanctions,” the judge added. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/729 "2023-10-20T16:03:18Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > Say it isn’t so, Donald. Say. It. Isn’t. So. I’m not Donald (thank the gods), but it isn’t so. He didn’t post more remarks; rather, he failed to take the remarks off of his campaign website after being ordered to do so. His lawyer claims it was an oversight, which I would dismiss out of hand from any organization even marginally more competent than Trump’s. As it is, I know I shouldn’t attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence, but some villainous buffoons make that really goddamned hard. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/730 "2023-10-20T16:10:23Z")
You’re right – of course – about what did or didn’t happen here, but the malicious explanation is Just So Perfectly TrumpTM. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/731 "2023-10-20T16:13:40Z")
A weekend in jail and no golf would be a good start. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/732 "2023-10-20T16:16:20Z")
Came in here to post this. Fucking around…now finding out. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/733 "2023-10-20T16:16:24Z")
I don’t know if the judge could do it, but if he could call Trump to explain in open court how this incident occurred, and to verify whether his attorney’s apology on his behalf was sincere, and to ask him to explain what steps he planned to take to prevent a recurrence, I’d accept that as the first consequence. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/734 "2023-10-20T16:17:37Z")
If I’m the judge, I bring Trump into court and say, You have one chance to stay out of jail: convince me, right now, that this was completely accidental and inadvertent and that you have every intention of complying fully with no further oversights. Persuade me. Basically make him grovel. Normally he would rather die than debase himself. But maybe, facing jail, he’d be willing. Edit to add: Heh, sort of a jinx, but me with rather less gracious intent. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/735 "2023-10-20T16:18:39Z")
I’d make him delete the post right in front of me in the courtroom. Hell, if he can post it, he can effing unpost it! ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/736 "2023-10-20T16:19:18Z")
The other thing is – since we know it wasn’t DJT’s job to take the campaign site’s iteration of the offending post down – whose job was it? IOW: Kise and his underlings were probably responsible for this. Contrition would dictate that somebody fall on a sword, and perhaps a head roll. This is bad, and all too true to form for Engoron to do nothing at all. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/737 "2023-10-20T16:27:50Z")
How would this go down if some of Trump’s minions start copying and reposting that order-violating post? Could he really defend himself by saying “it’s not me, I’m not doing it!”? It’s damned hard to really delete anything from the Internet. ---
**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 20, 2023, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/738 "2023-10-20T16:54:47Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > The other thing is – since we know it wasn’t DJT’s job to take the campaign site’s iteration of the offending post down – whose job was it? > > IOW: Kise and his underlings were probably responsible for this. Contrition would dictate that somebody fall on a sword, and perhaps a head roll. > > This is bad, and all too true to form for Engoron to do nothing at all. I think the lack of diligence in not realizing that it was still up on the Trump webpage could lead the court to believe that the Trump team did not take the gag order seriously, especially since I’m sure his media team made multiple other posts on that page during the time the post was up. It reminds me of the way Guiliani pissed off the judge in the defamation case brought by the Georgia election workers. At one point, in response to a discovery order, he said ( and I’m paraphrasing ) “”I took a quick look through my social media accounts.” I think it was his cavalier attitude towards court ordered discovery that led the court to kick his butt. I’m hoping Engoron gives him a day in jail for every day that the post stayed up, but that’s probably too much to hope for. Maybe a fine of a million a day? ---
**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 20, 2023, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/739 "2023-10-20T16:58:31Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I’m hoping Engoron gives him a day in jail for every day that the post stayed up, but that’s probably too much to hope for. Maybe a fine of a million a day? Judge Engoron strikes me as the sort of judge who has the courage to Go There. It really is a bubble that needs bursting. (Or maybe I mean a boil.) But we’ll see. The fine is more likely at this point, though I hope for more. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/740 "2023-10-20T17:09:13Z")
The more I think about this, I see only two possibilities (malice/incompetence): **Malice** : this was another Trumpy thing to do – “Screw Engoron. Let it stay there until we get caught, and then we’ll … something, something, beg forgiveness, something, something.” **Incompetence** : Trump was truly failed by his **[Elite Legal Strike Force Team](https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/07/26/trump-lawyers-65-project-00108120l)**, in which case, Trump should rightfully and openly be _furious_ with them. His very liberty has been put in jeopardy. Engoron should be able to suss this out. Meanwhile, what expressions of fury have we seen from Trump on this? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2023, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/741 "2023-10-20T17:14:10Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I don’t know if the judge could do it, but if he could call Trump to explain in open court how this incident occurred, and to verify whether his attorney’s apology on his behalf was sincere, and to ask him to explain what steps he planned to take to prevent a recurrence, I’d accept that as the first consequence. This impresses me as a reasonable and entirely appropriate response. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991.md?page=36) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991.md?page=38)