Trump and his allies are facing more and more legal problems. In fact, in one day, they suffered two major blows to their claims about the 2020 presidential election. The court filed sanctions against attorneys for filing pointless lawsuits and for mishandling important documents.
Trump’s Lawyer’s Lawsuit
Previously, judges put sanctions against Sidney Powell and other lawyers who filed lawsuits challenging the 2020 election results. Powell and her colleagues tried to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in Michigan. They claimed that the election was fraudulent and that Donald Trump was the true winner of the election.
Sanctions Against Them
As a result, the courts ruled their sanctions against Powell and others were part of a “historic and profound abuse” of the legal system. They claimed that the group allegedly tried to undermine people’s faith in democracy. They fined Powell and the others $175,00, although it was later reduced to $152,000 for Powell, Lin Wood, and five other lawyers.
Sanctions Upheld
Powell and the others appealed this ruling. However, the Supreme Court recently decided not to overturn the sanctions. The Court argued that the claims that Powells and others made were baseless or even contradicted by the lawyers’ own filings. The Court has also referred the case to the bar association in order to decide how to discipline them.
Sidney Powell’s Guilty Plea
Sidney Powell pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor counts over 2020 election interference in Georgia. This plea makes her the first of Trump’s close advisers to admit to crimes associated with the election. The plea agreement requires Powell to cooperate with Georgia prosecutors, which could lead to her testifying against co-defendants. She was sentenced to six years probation and must also write an apology to Georgia citizens.
Legal Proceedings Against Peter Navarro
Another of Trump’s advisors, Peter Navarro, is also facing legal problems. He allegedly did not return presidential records to the National Archives. A federal judge has said she will hold him in contempt of court for not returning these records. Navarro claims that some of these are his own documents, so they shouldn’t be returned.
Contempt of Court
However, the judge in this case, Colleen Kollar Kotelly, has said that they were indeed presidential records and needed to be returned. In a statement, she said, “It is clear that Defendant continues to possess Presidential records that have not been produced to their rightful owner, the United States.” He has until March 21st to decide if the documents need to be returned or not.
Navarro’s Conviction
Previously, Navarro allegedly ignored a subpoena from the House Committee. This could lead to him receiving a four-month imprisonment sentence. He was convicted in September over his attempts to allegedly overturn the 2020 election. He has appealed his conviction at this earlier trial.
Navarro Sued
The Justice Department previously sued Navarro and tried to get records from his personal email account returned. These documents included emails he had written during the Trump administration. Navarro claims that although some of these documents were government property, under the Fifth Amendment, he should not have to return them. The court dismissed this defense.
The Presidential Records Act
The courts have ordered these emails be returned to them under the Presidential Records Act. This Act states that any work-related messages on personal accounts must be forwarded to an official account within a specific timeframe. This is to ensure that any presidential records are collected, maintained, and made accessible to the public.
Delay in Georgia Election Interference Case
In another twist, the Georgia election interference case has been delayed. This is after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was accused of a potential ethics violation. The allegations claim that she had an inappropriate relationship with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor on the case. Trump’s defense team has been pushing for her to be removed from the case.
Jan. 6 and U.S. Capitol Attack Charges
Trump has been indicted over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. These charges include conspiring to defraud the U.S. and to prevent voters from having a fair election. Trump has continually denied the charges and has instead made claims of election fraud. These claims have not been proven.
Illegal Retention of Classified Documents
In another trial, Trump faces charges of mishandling important classified documents after he left office in 2021. This trial is scheduled for May 20, 2024. The allegations claim that he risked national security by not properly storing these sensitive documents, which included those that gave details about the U.S. nuclear program.
New York ‘Hush Money’ Criminal Case
In yet another case, Trump has been indicted for allegedly falsifying business records. This is over an alleged hush money payment that he made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. The prosecutors claim he lied about this and pretended it was a retainer contract for a lawyer. This trial is set for March 25, 2024.
Sexual Abuse and Defamation Civil Lawsuits
Trump was also recently punished with an $83.3 million fine in New York after writer E. Jean Carroll claimed he defamed her. He has already been forced to pay her $11 to 18.3 million in compensation to help her repair her image. This comes after she filed a lawsuit against him for allegedly sexually abusing her in the mid-1990s.
New York Attorney General Civil Lawsuit
New York Attorney General Letitia James has sued Trump and the Trump Organization for alleged fraud between 2011 and 2021. She claims that Trump lied about the valuation of his assets so he could get better loans and insurance terms. She also claims he then reduced these valuations for tax purposes. The trial is set for October 2nd.
Forced Payment
In this New York case, Justice Arthur Engoron recently ruled in James’s favor. He ordered that Trump and the other defendants must pay over $450 million and are also banned from being a director or officer for any company in the state for three years. In response, James released a statement saying, “Today, justice has been served. This is a tremendous victory for this state, this nation, and for everyone who believes that we all must play by the same rules — even former presidents.”
14th Amendment Challenges
Outside of these personal cases, Trump faces several civil challenges across multiple states and at the U.S. Supreme Court level. This is over Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which claims that anybody who has taken part in rebellion or insurrection cannot hold public office. Courts in Colorado and Maine have already ruled that he cannot appear on the 2024 ballot because of this.
Supreme Court Appeal
Trump has appealed this decision to the US Supreme Court. They are currently reviewing his case and have ordered that Trump remain on the ballot in the meantime. If they rule in favor of the Colorado Supreme Court, this could seriously affect his prospects in the 2024 election. It is likely many other states will also remove him from the ballot.
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