TWGB: It Should Cost Him More

 

The news that the jury in Trump defamation trial of E. Jean Carroll came back fairly swiftly with a verdict in the amount of $83 million gave me a sense of deja vu--it hadn't taken that long for a jury to decide the first defamation case in Ms. Carroll's favor, either. Now, our scandal-ridden former president owes her nearly $90 million. His not-especially good lawyer, Alina Habba, says they will appeal.

I don't think they should. I think they are the most unappealing bunch imaginable. 

Maybe delay has been a key strategy of Trump's with respect to his legal woes during an exceptionally legally contentious life, but this is wearing thin and is bound to have diminishing returns. Can he put up the bond for the amount of his judgments? Is he as liquid as he said he was (considering he's got the likely 9-figure judgment in his NY civil trial coming up)? And isn't he just bringing more and more attention to his miserable behavior?

As I've long covered here, his behavior doesn't diminish him in the eyes of the true MAGA believer. They can dismiss that Trump is a life-long sex pest because the real problem they have is with someone pointing it out. Take Elise Stefaniak or Nancy Mace--they don't care. And maybe TrumpWorld doesn't bat an eyelash that Trump's defenders include Matt Schlapp and Rudy Giuliani*--both under scrutiny for sexual misconduct. 

One's expectations for conduct in TrumpWorld are low and yet the denizens limbo under the bar with deep-sea-worm efficiency. 

I do think that paying attention to how Trump behaved throughout the course of this trial (by pouring on his vilifications at the plaintiff) is an example as to how he reacts to pressure--we will see how he responds to Nikki Haley's refusal to leave the primary race (I think--supposing she does as she said she would).  It's already, as I have noted, getting catty in here--but it could turn to something a bit more vicious. 

He does that. It's always, always, always intimidation, because he is not well and more and people need to pay close attention to that. And take very good note of who his staunchest defenders are; they are no better, but support him with a clear eye and one must suppose, a conscience as pure as landfill run-off. 

* Rudy Giuliani's bankruptcy may be counting on Trump's unpaid legal fees to him. I have no idea what that's about--my running joke is that Giuliani had been Trump pro bono lawyer and worth every penny! But if that results in Trump having to dip into the SuperPAC slush fund to pay yet another hand out, oh, well. 

I do hope the FEC is paying attention to just what Trump's various political fundraisings are going towards. It's probably very damn interesting.