Topline
Donald Trump was ordered on Tuesday to pay $5 million to E. Jean Carroll for sexual abuse and defamation, marking the largest sum in a string of monetary damages the former president has had to pay this year amid a litany of legal battles that threaten to make or break his presidential campaign.
Trump has paid millions in monetary damages for legal battles this year.
Key Facts
On Tuesday, an anonymous, nine-person jury ruled Trump owed columnist E. Jean Carroll $2 million for sexually abusing her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s, and $3 million for defamation because of his vehement denial of her allegations.
On January 13, the Trump Organization was fined $1.6 million—the maximum amount allowed by law—because its top executives avoided paying personal income taxes.
On January 19, Florida Judge Donald Middlebrooks tossed out a lawsuit Trump filed against Hillary Clinton, the Democratic National Committee and 26 others alleging they “conspired to weave a false narrative” about Trump’s collusion with Russia during his campaign—while Trump was seeking $96 million, the judge ruled he would have to pay roughly $1 million to cover the defendants’ legal costs because the suit was “frivolous, both legally and factually,” Middlebrooks said.
One day later, Trump dropped a second lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James, who launched a $250 million lawsuit against the Trump Organization for alleged property value manipulation—the Trump Organization is set to go on trial for James’ lawsuit in October.
On March 30, Trump was indicted for 34 felony counts related to a hush money payout to porn star Stormy Daniels, but that trial is ongoing so his penalty remains unknown.
On May 4, a New York state supreme court justice dismissed Trump’s 2021 lawsuit accusing the New York Times of illegally obtaining his confidential tax records in 2018—the dismissal requires Trump to pay the Times’ legal costs.
Key Background
Trump’s legal battles threaten to make or break his presidential campaign for the 2024 election. He currently sits as the front-runner among Republican candidates, but legal issues have historically damaged campaigns, like the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s alleged mishandling of classified information during her 2016 run. In denying nearly every allegation against him, Trump has called several of the suits against him “politically motivated,” emphasizing that those investigating him, such as New York Districts Attorney Letitia James and Alvin Bragg, are Democrats. Being charged with or found guilty of a crime does not disqualify Trump from running for office, and the former president has sought to use some of the media attention from his legal troubles to help his campaign.
What To Watch For
Trump is facing several other criminal investigations that have the potential for further damage payments or jail time. After the FBI searched his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Trump is under investigation for possibly mishandling classified information. The Justice Department’s investigation of the Jan. 6 riots could also involve the former president, as questions remain about whether he and his aides may have been engaged in a conspiracy to obstruct the 2020 presidential election result. Relatedly, a Georgia district attorney, Fani Willis, is investigating efforts to overturn Trump’s 2020 loss in Georgia.
Further Reading
Trump Sexually Abused E. Jean Carroll And Owes $5 Million In Damages, Jury Finds (Forbes)
Tracking Trump: The Lawsuits And Investigations Involving The Former President (Forbes)
Checks & Imbalances: Breaking Down Donald Trump’s Many Legal Problems (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/05/10/trumps-legal-damages-are-racking-up-heres-what-hes-had-to-pay-in-2023/