# The cost of trump's legal defense **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [February 26, 2024, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106 "2024-02-26T16:52:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [February 26, 2024, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/1 "2024-02-26T16:52:27Z")
AIUI, since leaving office, trump’s legal defense has cost him north of 50 mil. How does that break down, exactly? Seems like the cases against him are pretty cut and dry. What are those legal eagles doing to justify their cost? For what they’re getting, are they putting in 12 hour days? Seriously though, is there a chance they kick back some of those fees? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/2 "2024-02-26T17:02:07Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > What are those legal eagles doing to justify their cost? - He’s not in jail. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/3 "2024-02-26T18:24:25Z")
He’s not in jail and his trials are being drawn out and appealed to slow down the legal process as much as possible. He’s paying his lawyers to buy him time so that when he becomes president again he can pardon himself and at least the federal charges go away. Is that worth $50 million to a supposed billionaire? You tell me. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2024, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/4 "2024-02-26T18:30:04Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > He’s not in jail. Was that his lawyers doing, or was it a justice system too chicken shit to treat him like everyone else? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/5 "2024-02-26T18:55:35Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Was that his lawyers doing, or was it a justice system too chicken shit to treat him like everyone else? They’re treating him like every other rich white guy. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/6 "2024-02-26T19:44:07Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > He’s paying his lawyers to buy him time so that when he becomes president again he can pardon himself and at least the federal charges go away. Well, that will need to be determined by SCOTUS. “What? Oh never mind.” ---
**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:** [February 26, 2024, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/7 "2024-02-26T19:52:14Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > What are those legal eagles doing to justify their cost? Finding new and better ways to delay, delay, delay. That’s all. That’s the only play they have. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2024, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/8 "2024-02-26T19:53:17Z")
Worth noting that the $50M was a year 2023 (only) figure: > **[Trump's political action committees spent nearly $50 million on legal bills...](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-political-action-committees-2023-legal-bills/)** > > Trump's PACs spent $50 million in donor money on attorneys, legal consulting and investigation-related fees across 2023, his latest campaign finance filings say. ETA: 2023 is really when everything hit the fan, but it’s still an amazing burn rate (with other people’s money). ---
**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:** [February 26, 2024, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/9 "2024-02-26T19:53:18Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > he can pardon himself and at least the federal charges go away. And for State charges? He’ll just order the arrest and imprisonment of all the DA’s and Judges who oppose him. The Purge Begins. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/10 "2024-02-26T20:10:46Z")
Sounds like they plan to raid the RNC coffers to pay future legal bills. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2024, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/11 "2024-02-26T23:20:04Z")
I think some of his lawyers are also being paid to go on TV and make statements for him and put in arguments on his behalf. They’re essentially paid spokespeople, propagandists, and performers who also happen to have legal degrees. (Alina Habba is the foremost person that comes to mind but she’s not the only one.) So that’s going to account for at least some of the costs. They’re not just trying to help him win cases, but they’re also part of his reelection campaign. (I think to an extent some of them might do _more_ work trying to get him reelected than actually trying to help him win in court.) ---
**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:** [February 27, 2024, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/12 "2024-02-27T00:10:46Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > (I think to an extent some of them might do _more_ work trying to get him reelected than actually trying to help him win in court.) Yes, because that is the only winning strategy at this point. The rest is just delay tactics until the election. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/13 "2024-02-27T05:45:24Z")
Many of Trump’s lawyers have quit. Among them are Joseph Tacopina, Drew Findling, Jim Trusty, John Rowley, and Tim Parlatore. Based on that, my conjecture is that Trump’s legal strategy doesn’t add up. That, or the lawyers fear disbarment or sanction from working for the guy. Specifically the strategy of delay, then deal with the state level cases via constitutional crisis or Supreme Court fiat has a lot of moving parts. Sure, it could succeed. But I’m guessing a lot of lawyers don’t want to be collateral damage for Trump, who has never shown much concern for his employees or shock troops. ---
**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:** [February 27, 2024, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/14 "2024-02-27T18:57:41Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > That, or the lawyers fear disbarment or sanction from working for the guy. Considering all of the sanctions his lawyers **have** received, that’s wise. You can probably spot the more competent lawyers he has had based on whether or not they jumped ship and how quickly they did so. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/15 "2024-02-27T19:28:02Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Sounds like they plan to raid the RNC coffers to pay future legal bills. Given how [little is left in those coffers](https://www.newsweek.com/republican-national-committee-funding-cash-finances-1866326), they’d do better rummaging in the couches at Mar-a-Largo in the guest quarters. ---
**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:** [February 27, 2024, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cost-of-trumps-legal-defense/998106/16 "2024-02-27T19:32:25Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > You can probably spot the more competent lawyers he has had based on whether or not they jumped ship and how quickly they did so. The really competent ones had the front office staff refuse to return his calls or book any meetings in the first place.