# 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:** 43
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/842 "2023-10-31T14:39:57Z")
The [guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/31/top-trump-allies-facing-charges-lose-lawyers-after-failing-to-pay-legal-bills) is reporting that Bannon, Giuliani and Lindell have lost their lawyers due to unpaid fees. I wonder how desperate the latter two might get before doing the real flip. I don’t expect Bannon to flip, though surprised to see that from his wiki that he gets Seinfeld residuals as payment to a deal around Seinfeld season 3. I guess they won’t cover his criminal activity. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/843 "2023-10-31T14:44:09Z")
Lindell isn’t charged with a crime, as far as I know, so flipping isn’t a possibility for him. He’s facing several civil actions, so losing lawyers will mean he probably loses those. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/844 "2023-10-31T15:02:38Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > He’s facing several civil actions, so losing lawyers will mean he probably loses those. Aw, at least he has plenty of pillows to cry on. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/845 "2023-10-31T15:21:06Z")
_lumpy_ pillows ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/846 "2023-10-31T15:49:37Z")
> [@CurtC](#): > > The problem with pleading the 5th in a civil case is that the jury, or judge when there’s not a jury, is allowed to draw an adverse inference, that the fact that the witness pleads the 5th means that what they’re hiding must be really bad. I know that’s true for a defendant invoking the 5th, but is that true if a witness does? Even a prosecution witness? That would seem odd. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/847 "2023-10-31T15:51:57Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > I know that’s true for a defendant invoking the 5th, but is that true if a witness does? Yes. It is. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/848 "2023-10-31T17:02:30Z")
Interesting. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![mjmartin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@mjmartin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmartin)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/849 "2023-10-31T17:48:06Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > I know that’s true for a defendant invoking the 5th, but is that true if a witness does? Even a prosecution witness? I believe Eric and Don Jr. are also named defendants. I think the only non-defendant witness is Ivanka. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/850 "2023-11-01T14:38:23Z")
Trump again continues to test the limits of the gag order: > **[Trump tells judge in fraud case to leave his children alone](https://news.yahoo.com/trump-tells-judge-fraud-case-115141497.html)** > > Former President Trump wrote a social media post Wednesday railing against the judge overseeing his New York civil fraud case and told him to leave his children alone. He also argued that there is enough evidence for the case to be thrown out. “This... It will be interesting to see if the judge responds to this latest rant. I also wonder if the judge will have the same interpretation I do of “there is no victim (except me!)”. Is that a passive-aggressive call for there to be more victims here? Trump also keeps harping on Michael Cohen being a lying liar who lies. Is he actually talking about the fact that Cohen testified that he lied _because Trump told him to_? ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/851 "2023-11-01T15:14:10Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Trump also keeps harping on Michael Cohen being a lying liar who lies. Is he actually talking about the fact that Cohen testified that he lied _because Trump told him to_? Yes, with the convenient amputation of the last bit. So he’s right…from a certain point of view. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/852 "2023-11-01T15:20:27Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Trump also keeps harping on Michael Cohen …and refers to him as a “sleazebag lawyer”. I guess the stable genius just never noticed that, despite decades of working together? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/853 "2023-11-01T15:39:40Z")
I’m pretty sure Trump knew Cohen was a “sleaze bag lawyer” from the start. Why do you think he hired him? ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/854 "2023-11-01T16:18:53Z")
I’m guessing that if Ivanka weren’t involved he wouldn’t be asking for his “children” to be left alone. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/855 "2023-11-01T17:48:12Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > he wouldn’t be asking for his “children” to be left alone. No, he’d still be playing that tune, because his kids are up to their necks in his business, and if one decides to flip on him, he’s screwed. “Think of the CHILDREN!!!” is his only possible out here. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/856 "2023-11-01T17:53:19Z")
I’m struggling to think of him even _pretending_ to care about Don Jr and Eric. I don’t think he’s capable of it. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/857 "2023-11-01T17:56:10Z")
When it’s his own self-interest on the line, I think he could pull off pretending to care about his loser sons. For a short time, anyways. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/858 "2023-11-01T18:13:55Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I’m struggling to think of him even _pretending_ to care about Don Jr and Eric. Eh, think of them as any other employees who haven’t yet proved themselves disloyal. Trump is willing to go to the mat for loyal underlings in a “this underling, who is successful because I, Donald Trump, have elevated them and made them successful, is a powerful and strong underling!” kind of way. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/859 "2023-11-01T18:16:05Z")
Apparently Don Jr didn’t speak to his dad for half a year or so, after DJT dumped Ivana for Marla. He got over it, I guess? ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/860 "2023-11-01T20:37:07Z")
As Twain maybe didn’t quite say: > It is difficult to get a man to continue hating his father when his own great fortune depends on buttering Dad up. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/861 "2023-11-01T22:31:38Z")
Trump Jr’s testimony today basically boils down to: As Executive Vice President of Trump Organization, and trustee on Donald Trump’s revocable trust, I knew nothing about anything about the business and was not involved in running it or the accounts or anything about it. I don’t remember working on anything with anybody at any time. I relied on smarter people to tell me where to put my name on the paperwork. I’m not even sure if these are my own pants I’m wearing right now. I’m basically a chimp in a suit. Seems legit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991.md?page=42) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991.md?page=44)