# 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:** 72
**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 14, 2023, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1422 "2023-11-14T19:53:13Z")
I think it’s also the Truth Social equivalent of a retweet, giving Trump one more layer of implausible deniability. > [@DavidNRockies - the article](#): > > Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday **reposted a Truth Social post** calling for… [bolding mine] ---
**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 14, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1423 "2023-11-14T19:57:37Z")
I believe he was already told retweeting is the same as doing it himself, but I could be wrong, or it could’ve been a different judge. So hard to keep up. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1424 "2023-11-14T20:20:31Z")
Lock him up already. Or, we can wait until someone murders James, Engoron, Fani Willis, etc., and then charge him as an accessory. ---
**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 14, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1425 "2023-11-14T20:20:44Z")
_I think_ Engoron’s order was originally to prevent Trump from smearing court staff. October 3. _I think_ the expansion also barred his attorneys from smearing court staff. November 3. If I’m right so far, then _I think_ anything legal that references Letitia James or Judge Engoron is in bounds vis-a-vis gag orders. Which obviously doesn’t mean that they cannot violate laws by their conduct, regardless. @Aspenglow has been invaluable on these threads. Does what I’m saying here comport with your understanding of the state of play?? ---
**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:** [November 14, 2023, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1426 "2023-11-14T20:23:42Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > If I’m right so far, then _I think_ anything legal that references Letitia James or Judge Engoron is in bounds vis-a-vis gag orders. I believe you are correct in this. However, while this act might not itself be a violation of prior orders, it might demonstrate why such orders may need to be expanded on a bit. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1427 "2023-11-14T21:28:51Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > “I WOULD LIKE TO SEE LITITIA JAMES AND JUDGE ENGORON PLACED UNDER CITIZENS ARREST FOR BLATANT ELECTION INTERFERENCE AND HARASSMENT.” Government by terrorism. An interesting news item- > **[Trump’s Idiot Lawyers Just Shared Faulty Evidence in Fraud Trial](https://newrepublic.com/post/176895/trump-idiot-lawyers-share-faulty-evidence-fraud-trial)** > > Apparently, it can keep getting worse. _Donald Trump’s lawyers shared faulty evidence on Monday during his business fraud trial in New York, accidentally adding further fuel to the allegations against him._ _The New York attorney general has accused Trump, his sons [Don Jr. and Eric](https://newrepublic.com/post/176543/trump-melts-idiot-sons-set-take-stand), the Trump Organization, and other company executives of [fraudulently inflating](https://newrepublic.com/post/176694/trump-admits-intent-induce-lending-financial-statements) the value of various real estate assets to get more favorable terms on bank loans. When Don Jr. took the stand Monday, Trump’s lawyers appeared to demonstrate exactly how the family overrepresented their assets._ ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1428 "2023-11-14T21:30:41Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > all in good fun, judge! Just joshing around! Josh around and find out! ---
**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 14, 2023, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1429 "2023-11-14T21:35:03Z")
Gag order or not, isn’t it a crime to threaten a judge or prosecutor? Or at least contempt? ---
**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 14, 2023, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1430 "2023-11-14T21:35:41Z")
> [@](#): > > [Trump’s Idiot Lawyers Just Shared Faulty Evidence in Fraud Trial | The New Republic](https://newrepublic.com/post/176895/trump-idiot-lawyers-share-faulty-evidence-fraud-trial) And the article just below that isn’t much better: " Trump Team Responds to Hitler Accusations by Proving Accusers Right" > “Those who try to make that ridiculous assertion are clearly snowflakes grasping for anything because they are suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome and their entire existence will be crushed when President Trump returns to the White House,” Cheung told _[The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/11/12/trump-rally-vermin-political-opponents/)_ on Monday. ---
**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:** [November 14, 2023, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1431 "2023-11-14T21:52:07Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Gag order or not, isn’t it a crime to threaten a judge or prosecutor? It’s a crime to threaten _anyone_ with bodily harm, we call that “assault”. However, I don’t think reposting another person’s suggestion about “citizens arrest” comes anywhere close to that. That seems like a massive exaggeration of what actually occurred. ---
**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 14, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1432 "2023-11-14T22:08:15Z")
I don’t see how it isn’t. A fake citizen’s arrest would, at its best and most gentle, be false imprisonment. More likely it would be battery. It just has a cool cowboy phrase to make it sound heroic and put a little semantic distance between the speaker and the crime. ’ If the fantasy had been in more direct language, about snatching these two off the street for some undefined meting out of justice, it would sound a whole lot darker but be the same functional threat. ---
**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 14, 2023, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1433 "2023-11-14T22:51:13Z")
Perhaps it could be grounds to have him undergo a psychiatric examination. I mean, what sane defendant would post this shit during his trial? ---
**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 14, 2023, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1434 "2023-11-14T22:54:54Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > It just has a cool cowboy phrase to make it sound heroic Anytime someone uses the phrase citizen’s arrest, I can’t help but hear it in Gomer Pyle’s voice. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1435 "2023-11-14T23:00:24Z")
Same. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1436 "2023-11-14T23:07:29Z")
“Obviously, when I said ‘existence crushed,’ I meant emotionally and politically. We’re not going to directly harm them, and I never said we would.” I’m just so so SO tired of the (un)plausible deniability weaseling. SO tired. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1437 "2023-11-14T23:09:44Z")
I would love to see the look on Lititia James face when a MAGA hat wearing trumpster walks up and says “You are under citizens arrest”. > **[Looking at you](https://9gag.com/gag/aqeAz7M)** > > 1,561 points • 52 comments ---
**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 14, 2023, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1438 "2023-11-14T23:10:08Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > @Aspenglow has been invaluable on these threads. Does what I’m saying here comport with your understanding of the state of play?? Truly, I’m glad you’ve found my comments helpful. You’ve got it right. Engoron’s original order was for Trump alone and as to his (Engoron’s) staff only. He then expanded the order to include Trump’s attorneys. Letitia James and Judge Engoron himself are fair game. > [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Gag order or not, isn’t it a crime to threaten a judge or prosecutor? It isn’t a wise thing to do, that’s sure. No one else would get away with it. But in this case, it adds weight to the basis the judge may use in future to expand his orders. IMHO, Judge Engoron is appeal-proofing his future orders. ---
**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:** [November 14, 2023, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1439 "2023-11-14T23:47:01Z")
The article has a link to the trvth•social posting – it has been taken down. ---
**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:** [November 15, 2023, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1440 "2023-11-15T00:29:11Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > I don’t see how it isn’t. A fake citizen’s arrest would, at its best and most gentle, be false imprisonment. More likely it would be battery. It just has a cool cowboy phrase to make it sound heroic and put a little semantic distance between the speaker and the crime. Nobody is alleging that Trump is going to be doing the “arrest”. He didn’t even write the comment in question, just shared it. I think a _lot_ of context is being lost here. I can’t believe that we have people suggesting in seriousness that a person in the United States of America can be arrested for sharing a social media post. Again, this is only really relevant to this case if the judge deems that Trump riling up his folks might merit widening the gag order. ---
**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 15, 2023, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1441 "2023-11-15T00:57:48Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Nobody is alleging that Trump is going to be doing the “arrest”. Of course not. He’s just wondering who might rid him of troublesome priests. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991.md?page=71) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991.md?page=73)