Donald Trump Takes Another Legal Hit With Dismissal Of New York Times Lawsuit
Since leaving office in 2020, Donald Trump has remained center-stage in the media. Many of the headlines have revolved around the controversial politician's extensive legal issues. Trump even made history as the first president to be arrested after serving office. One of his first major scandals emerged in 2018 when The New York Times published an article revealing his illicit tax history. Despite his best efforts, Trump's battle to keep his taxes private has officially failed.
In September 2021, the former president filed a lawsuit against his niece, Mary Trump, and the Times reporters who worked on the aforementioned article. In Donald's formal complaint with the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Dutchess, the former president accused the defendants of "maliciously conspiring against him" to acquire his highly coveted personal tax records.
In addition, the report also claimed that The New York Times "relentlessly sought out [Trump's] niece, Mary L. Trump, and convinced her to smuggle the records out of her attorney's office." Lastly, Donald's petition asserted that these actions have resulted in tremendous losses for him. Sadly, it seems his efforts have once again proved fruitless as a court has ruled in the Times' defense.
The ruling puts the onus on Trump to pay all legal fees
On May 3, 2023, the Daily Beast reported that The New York Times and its accused reporters were officially dismissed from Donald Trump's charges against them. In the Supreme Court State of New York, County of New York court's decision, Judge Robert R. Reed stated that the defendants' behavior did not violate their rights as reporters. Judge Reed also confirmed that Trump's lawsuit claims "fail as a matter of constitutional law."
The justice even asserted that enforcing the former president's allegations would be a breach of the First Amendment. Furthermore, the court's decision requires Trump to reimburse the defendants for all fees incurred in the course of the trial. The New York Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander commented on the matter to The Guardian, saying, "The New York Times is pleased with the judge's decision today."
He added, "It is an important precedent reaffirming that the press is protected when it engages in routine newsgathering to obtain information of vital importance to the public." However, the court has yet to finalize a decision on Trump's claims against his niece, Mary Trump, so that case is still ongoing.