Posted on 02/23/2016 11:48:43 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Here's a part of the political calendar that nobody in the Republican Party seems to have noticed: This spring, just as the GOP nomination battle enters its final phase, frontrunner Donald Trump could be forced to take time out for some unwanted personal business: He's due to take the witness stand in a federal courtroom in San Diego, where he is being accused of running a financial fraud.
In court filings last Friday, lawyers for both sides in a long-running civil lawsuit over the now defunct Trump University named Trump on their witness lists. That makes it all but certain that the reality-show star and international businessman will be forced to be grilled under oath over allegations in the lawsuit that he engaged in deceptive trade practices and scammed thousands of students who enrolled in his "university" courses in response to promises he would make them rich in the real estate market.
Although the case has been winding its way through the courts for the past five years - and Trump has denied all wrongdoing - the final pretrial conference is now slated for May 6, according to the latest pleadings in the case. No trial date has been set, but the judge has indicated his interest in moving the case forward, the pleadings show.
"This is pretty amazing," said Scott Reed, a veteran Republican Party consultant, about Trump's upcoming due date in federal court. "Usually, you clean this stuff up before you run for president."
Trump's new lead lawyer in the case, Daniel Petrocelli, best known for representing one of the slain murder victims in a civil suit against O.J. Simpson, did not respond to emailed questions about Trump's upcoming testimony, including how long he expects his client to be on the witness stand.
As noted by Yahoo News last week, the Trump University case has already intruded on Trump's political schedule. On Dec. 10, 2015, during a day he was making international headlines over his pledge to ban Muslim immigrants from the United States, Trump managed to escape any press attention and give a closed-door pretrial deposition in the case, according to court filings reviewed by Yahoo News. Exactly what he said in the deposition remains under seal, but lawyers for Tarla Makaeff, a California yoga instructor who is the lead plaintiff in the case, cited portions of his testimony (blacked out in her pleadings) to support their contention that Trump has threatened to ruin her financially for bringing the lawsuit and that she needs protection from his "retaliation."
But the upcoming civil trial could be a much bigger burden on Trump's time. If it takes place in May, that would put it in the middle of the final phase of the GOP primary schedule: Nebraska and West Virginia vote on May 10, Oregon on May 17, and Washington state on May 24. Then on June 7, the biggest prize of all: the California primary (with 172 delegates at stake). New Jersey, Montana, New Mexico and South Dakota vote the same day.
While it is unclear how long the trial over Trump University will take, both sides have submitted lengthy witness lists: 72 individuals have been identified as prospective witnesses by the two sides. The case shows little sign of being settled. Trump just last December hired Petrocelli, a master litigator, and he recently identified 965 trial exhibits he expects to use at trial, including PowerPoint presentations, course curriculums, emails, letters, videos and other material. Picking jurors who have neutral views on Trump could present another time-consuming hurdle.
The core case revolves around the operations of a school Trump launched in 2005 with a promotional You Tube video, as well as ads that proclaimed, "I can turn anyone into a successful real estate investor, including you," "Are YOU My Next Apprentice?" and "Learn from my handpicked experts how you can profit from the largest real estate liquidation in history." The plaintiffs, former students at Trump University, allege they were misled into maxing out their credit cards and paying up to $60,000 in fees for seminars in hotel ballrooms and "mentoring" by Trump's "hand-picked" real estate experts. The lawsuit against the school, which is no longer in business, alleges the seminars turned into little more than an "infomercial" and the Trump mentors offered "no practical advice" and "mostly disappeared." New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed a separate suit in 2013 alleging fraud on the part of the "university," which was never an accredited institution and awarded no degrees.
Tag line.
“Now when we are learning that Donald Trump has fleeced naive “students” of his very dubious “Trump University” will we be told that he needed money with which to grease politicians?”
Actually the REAL PURPOSE of Trump University was to teach people that making money is not easy. So they signed up for it, looking for a quick score, and found that out.
I’d say it served its purpose.
“He blunders into a trade war which devastates our economy.
He blunders into a war (period) which devastates the country
He so appalls Americans in two years that he turns the House over to Democrats and the Senate two years later
Fancying himself an economic genius, he engages in crony capitalism this time from the other side of the equation and backs losers which not only sets back the economy but legitimates crony capitalism leading to American economic eclipse.
Utterly ignorant of the Constitution and having no regard for it in any event, he tramples on the Bill of Rights.”
JIMMY, JIMMY,is that you!
Sorry Jimmy, but it’s not 1980 again and your predictions then were proven PATENTLY FALSE.
You have just won this week's much sought after prize for the most shameless defense of Donald Trump's grotesqueries:
Blame the victim, he had it coming, he deserves being defrauded, it serves him right, it builds character.
How about, that's what he gets for believing Donald Trump?
Bob you can go to that top of the pile.
WARNING: The lead plaintiff is a self-proclaimed human rights/animal rights activist, and possible publicity whore: https://www.everipedia.com/tarla-makaeff/
Here is a link to a decision of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that summarizes the essential facts: http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2013/04/17/11-55016.pdf
You are a paid Establishment / Elitist operative.
Thanks, I’ve been making that point for months. The ‘victims’ lost $5,000 there. They could have easily lost 10, 100, possibly 1,000 times that much if Trump U convinced them that they now knew the way to a quick score...because there isn’t any way.
Oh we noticed, you are rather LATE with this supposed “newsâ€,and by the time this gets to a court, Trump will be PRESIDENT and sitting in the Oval Office.
______________________________________________________
Yeah cause the dems with their billion in negative ads won’t seize on this.
Cruz won five delegates. Chin up. Best hope is Cruz wins Texas and gains some momentum in case Trump does not work out through vetting.
If there are major issues, hope that they come out now and not in October...
He beat the gang of 8 by voting for the right amendments and putting in poison pills. Led the gov shutdown to slow down spending. Slowed down the EPA in the Bush Admin.
Won second amendment case at Supreme court and other key legal cases as Texas AG.
Dont understand the hostility to Cruz. McConnell may cave on Supreme Court, hope we dont destroy Cruz to help buck up the situation.
Good post.
“This is pretty amazing,” said Scott Reed, a veteran Republican Party consultant, about Trump’s upcoming due date in federal court. “Usually, you clean this stuff up before you run for president.”
This part is hilarious! And seriously, who is stupid enough to max out credit cards to the tune of 60K? I’ll believe the suit is legit when they go after all the infomercial dudes who hawk this garbage at 3 am.
Cruz took 6, Rubio took 7, which has them tied for delegates.
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P16/NV-R
Full totals to date:
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P16/
“...trump’s a liar and a fraud...proof this lawsuit!”
Yes, and that is why when someone files a lawsuit, the person being sued automatically declares guilt because EVERYONE knows that the person doing the suing is ALWAYS right, correct, innocent, and truly aggrieved, and would NEVER ever launch a lawsuit out of anything but the purest of motives.
“The Journal noted that Trump’s rivals Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz have not released their most recent tax returns...”
You don’t read what is in your own post? Is the Wall Street Journal the presiding authority over tax returns?
Trump will do what he's always done.
Delegate the most important stuff to the best people, and set out only his vision.
"Build a wall. Boot out illegals. You are granted the abilities to do this, Wall Czar, now go do it."
"Prevent China from abusing our economy. You are granted the abilities to do this, Trade Czar, now go do it."
"Find me a guy who thinks like Scalia, but has little paper trail. You are granted the abilities to do this, SCOTUS Czar, now go do it."
"Get Europe back on it's feet as regards the Muslim Invasion. You will need to be subtle, they are their own countries. You are granted the abilities to do this, Crusades Czar, now go do it."
“That said, its its something Trump wishes he would rather forget and its probably going to be years before its settled.”
Settled out of court, which is the real goal of the slip and fall lawyers.
“Ted Cruz took on the establishment of both parties”
By word only. By deed, he joined them, as in TPA and the Corker bill.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.