# 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:** 50
**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:** [November 4, 2023, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/982 "2023-11-04T13:45:14Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > I immediately think about Trump and his claims of “Only the mob takes the 5th” and then he takes the 5th Give him a break! This is one of the few truthful remarks that Trump has ever made. 🙂 ---
**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:** [November 4, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/983 "2023-11-04T14:57:51Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Oh, I’ve tumbled to it, but it’s no less angering to see it happen in front of my eyes. I get it. It is maddening how he gets away with it, time after time after time, when what he’s doing is such an obvious trick. Like, seriously, so many hoaxes, manufactured by the government for just one person in so short a time? How do people keep buying this garbage? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/984 "2023-11-04T15:47:03Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > bbbyyy Meaning? ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/985 "2023-11-04T15:47:13Z")
post removed. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/986 "2023-11-04T16:31:36Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Meaning? Blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda Sorry for the obscurity. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/987 "2023-11-04T16:32:31Z")
Thanks. ---
**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 4, 2023, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/988 "2023-11-04T20:27:18Z")
Just doing some reading, and clarifying some things that I was confused about: I understand that On December 6 2022, the Trump organization was convicted of all 17 _criminal_ charges it faced, and was fined the maximum allowable $1.6 million. In the civil case, I understand that Judge Engoron issued a summary judgement on Sept 26, 2023, which found Trump and his organization guilty, and ordered the termination of Trump Organization’s New York business licenses. On October 5, Judge Engoron ordered Trump to name “entities controlled or beneficially owned by Donald J. Trump” and allowed 30 days for both parties to recommend a receiver. That should be coming up shortly. The trial we are seeing now is about six OTHER claims not covered by the above summary judgement - falsifying business records and conspiracy. Penalties for this could include a $250 million fine and banishing Trump and other defendants from the New York real-estate business. This explains to me why Donnie Jr and Eric are so desperately trying to show that they knew nothing at all about any business records, and in fact were just sort of hanging around in the office for “bring your kid to work day” ---
**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 4, 2023, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/989 "2023-11-04T20:34:52Z")
And I’m not sure if the plan for everyone to blame everyone else is going to fly with the judge. “Not me, I knew nothing” Don Jr. “Not me, I knew nothing” Eric Donald Trump in his sworn deposition: > During the deposition, Mr Trump was asked if he is “currently the person with ultimate decision-making authority for the Trump Organization”, to which he replied, “no”. > > When he was questioned on who _does_ have such an authority, the ex-Potus responded: “My son Eric is much more involved with it than I am. I’ve been doing other things – and I guess you could say on something major, final decisions, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/990 "2023-11-04T20:39:56Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > On other sites, the Trumpers are basically asking why a Judge should _even have_ a clerk in their courtroom At All. It’s all part of the Republican notion that the purpose of the government is to be completely ineffective. I mean, I couldn’t have told you any of the specific duties of a court clerk before this thread, but I would still have considered it absolutely obvious that they help out in many ways to just generally keep things working. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/991 "2023-11-04T20:52:44Z")
“All we did was come into the office sometimes, sign our names wherever the accountants and lawyers said to sign, ransack the petty cash, have someone make dinner and flight reservations for us, pose for photos, and take naps.” Is this a defense? ---
**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:** [November 4, 2023, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/992 "2023-11-04T20:54:18Z")
My gut feeling about the attack on the clerk is that it’s just Standard Operating Procedure/signature move stuff. Trump’s sole and entire strategy has been to smear the opposition with such hyperbolic and outrageous bullshit that – it’s not so much that the rubes want to remove these people from power – it’s more that the rubes want the Democrats (or Judges or Prosecutors or Witnesses against Trump) dead. It’s like Trump is pointing to a perfect stranger and screaming that he molested your nine-year old daughter, in hopes of getting the angry, toothless mob to attack the poor innocent bystander … while Trump drives away in your car … that he just stole. > **Stochastic terrorism** > > the public demonization of a person or group resulting in the incitement of a violent act, which is statistically probable but whose specifics cannot be predicted. or point #3 from Lawrence Britt’s _**[Fascism, Anyone](https://secularhumanism.org/2003/03/fascism-anyone/)**?_ > 1. Identification of Enemies as a Unifying Cause I think it really is pretty textbook demagogue stuff, and he’s as good at it, and it is inherently as awful, as any other historic example that _I_ can think of. And only Judge Aileen Cannon (classified documents case) is spared. Who noticed? Yeah. Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/993 "2023-11-04T21:05:29Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > “All we did was come into the office sometimes, sign our names wherever the accountants and lawyers said to sign, ransack the petty cash, have someone make dinner and flight reservations for us, pose for photos, and take naps.” > > Is this a defense? I don’t know if it’s a defense, but somebody should put it on an inspirational poster. If this is the American Dream then I’m in. ---
**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 4, 2023, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/994 "2023-11-04T21:21:11Z")
Nice work if you can get it. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/995 "2023-11-04T23:17:12Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > My gut feeling about the attack on the clerk is that it’s just Standard Operating Procedure/signature move stuff. From [Michael Cohen](https://www.salon.com/2023/11/03/crazy-thing-to-say-to-a-judge-experts-stunned-after-explodes-at-lawyers-misogyny/): > “Chris Kise, there’s something seriously wrong with him,” Cohen said. "He attacked me vociferously when I was on the stand, getting up, calling me all sorts of — that’s all they do, is they know how to denigrate. It’s not going to bode well for him. It’s about the last thing that you want to do.” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/996 "2023-11-04T23:59:07Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I don’t know if it’s a defense, but somebody should put it on an inspirational poster. If this is the American Dream then I’m in. Where can I apply? I can do this. > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > “Not me, I knew nothing” Don Jr. > > “Not me, I knew nothing” Eric > > Donald Trump in his sworn deposition: Circular finger pointing. uh huh. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/997 "2023-11-04T23:59:32Z")
Eh, Kise may well be feeling irritated and trapped. Sure, he reportedly got $3 million upfront, but when he was trying to go with the responsible lawyer route in Florida, he was sidelined. And now he’s got the world’s worst client (zero sympathy) who will not let him do the job. So he probably hates himself, hates everyone involved, and his client. Even so, I’d guess his reactions are 80% acting for Trump and 20% general loathing of the whole world by this point. Even when you’re (arguably) the smartest of Trump lawyers, you’re still foolish enough to be a Trump lawyer. And Kise may be feeling that. And I’d bet that the $3 million retainer is quite possibly been used by now, considering what he likely bills and how many different cases he’s had to keep up on. 🤏 🎻 ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2023, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/998 "2023-11-05T00:20:21Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Circular finger pointing. uh huh. _The Office_ Mexican standoff is perfect for how this goes - you have the three guys going at it, then just when you think it’s all over Pam-Ivanka comes in with a finger pistol in each hand - “I’m not going down for this!” ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2023, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/999 "2023-11-05T00:27:58Z")
The best of Trumps lawyers is, at best, a Trump lawyer. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2023, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1000 "2023-11-05T15:12:48Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > “All we did was come into the office sometimes, sign our names wherever the accountants and lawyers said to sign, ransack the petty cash, have someone make dinner and flight reservations for us, pose for photos, and take naps.” And pour concrete, you left out the most important aspect of a Senior Excutive VP’s who is in charge suposivily of billions of dollars of assets responsibilities. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2023, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1001 "2023-11-05T16:00:13Z")
If he keeps insisting he poured concrete he should be made to provide proof. Where, when, and with whom. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991.md?page=49) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991.md?page=51)