As the NYT puts it:
The settlement was announced by the New York attorney general on Friday, just 10 days before one of the cases, a federal class-action lawsuit in San Diego, was set to be heard by a jury. The deal... averts a potentially embarrassing and highly unusual predicament: a president-elect on trial, and possibly even taking the stand in his own defense, while scrambling to build his incoming administration.It's always been embarrassing, of course. What's different now is that he owes his full attention to the transition, and his personal taste for fighting out lawsuits must be subordinated to the interests of the country.
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And thus the last hope of the leftists dies. They were counting on this case taking Trump down. Now they have to resort to violence even more than they already have.
I hope Trump adds a few dozen more security guards, because someone's gonna take a shot at him now, almost guaranteed. Pence, too.
--Vance
That's some pretty solid spin their professor. Although I happen to agree with it.
He was pretty adamant that he wouldn't settle. And now he settles.
I hope youre right and he did it for all the right reasons. I'm going to hate his presidency if he doesn't fight the Democrats and their agenda and always ends up settling.
"The deal... averts a potentially embarrassing and highly unusual predicament: a president-elect on trial, and possibly even taking the stand in his own defense"
It is in fact unprecedented, but for Pres. Clinton being sued for sexual harassment. But hey, that was only sex.
The $25M is just under half of what Trump spent self-funding his election.
Did Hillary spend even one dime of her own money on her failed attempt at the Presidency?
Why not?
Oh, for crying out loud, eric, you don't negotiate by announcing your intent to settle..sheesh.
I used to work with Big Law litigators. They were all Dem donors. Every one of them.
And the difference between trump U and US is?
Other than a higher satisfaction and employment rate among grads, of course.
John Henry.
I suppose he didn't admit to being a scam artist; some might believe he just scammed 60 million Americans.
I'm glad he settled. Why have that hanging over your head when you're trying to run the country?
Sorry to single out UW.
My comment applies to pretty much all universities
John Henry
And the difference between trump U and US is?
Other than a higher satisfaction and employment rate among grads, of course.
John Henry.
Another liberal talking point bites the dust.
Just like you get a premium settlement when the defendant is about to be acquired by another company. Timing is everything
$25 Million is peanuts compared to the power of the Presidency. It's good judgment to rid himself of that nagging irritant of a lawsuit.
If you paid $35K to go to Trump University seminars, well,.....
Trump didn't have to testify at trial. It was his call. He and his attorneys may have thought it would look bad if he didn't and usually an individual defendant with that much at stake would want to sit through the whole trial. Couldn't do that. There is never an admission of guilt if a trial ends with dismissal and not judgment against the defendant. Trump settled lawsuits all the time. I was involved in one. Because it's a class action there will have to be a court order approving the settlement after the plaintiffs file a motion justifying it. Could be some interesting stuff in that process. But with a state AG on board that should be a formality. Interesting that the class action attorneys are foregoing attorney's fees. They must have sunk a bundle into this case. Did they see throwing good money after bad?
... his personal taste for fighting out lawsuits must be subordinated to the interests of the country.
As Star Trek's Mr. Spock would put it, “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”
In four or eight years, he can make it all back with speeches at Goldman Sachs and other such patriotic companies. I'm sure Hillary can provide a list.
Interesting that the class action attorneys are foregoing attorney's fees. They must have sunk a bundle into this case. Did they see throwing good money after bad?
Maybe they were paid by the Clinton Slush Fund, er, Foundation.
In advance, hopefully.
It still doesn't explain why Trump spent any time at all in these two bit scams. Oops he didn't spend any time at all it seems. It speaks badly of his management and ethical skills or am I not allowed to say this anymore.
The majority received a positive return on their investment, which is comparable to benefits received from accredited schools.
That said, Trump has clearly identified his priorities that places Americans first.
So when do we get "Loser Pays"?
Bill Clinton could have settled Paula Jones' suit by apologizing before he was president and he did not. He dragged it out over two terms, committing and suborning perjery in the process, and ultimately settled for $800,000, turning in his law license and a written apology. I know who I think is making a better decision.
On the Plus Side, it seems like there were a lot less rapes at Trump University compared to all those Big Universities I read about.
Although, one in five being raped at the Big Universities is still better odds than getting a useful degree from them.
I am Laslo.
It's a business expense.
That rededication thing at the NYT doesn't seem to be happening.
What a surprise.
Trump: "You have change for a fifty million?"
"It's always been embarrassing, of course. What's different now is that he owes his full attention to the transition, and his personal taste for fighting out lawsuits must be subordinated to the interests of the country."
Well said, and it also has the ring of truth to make it sound better.
The political utility of the suit is gone. Hillary supporting big law is now willing to settle. Millions for Big Law and pennies on the dollar for their clients.
The latest narrative from NRO seems to be that when Trump does something National Review thinks is wise, like settling this lawsuit, it's because he listened to his advisers, and when he does something National Review believes is foolish, well, that's the real Trump coming through.
“I am pleased that under the terms of this settlement, every victim will receive restitution and that Donald Trump will pay up to $1 million in penalties to the State of New York for violating state education laws,” Mr. Schneiderman said in a statement.
Does anyone know how many people had brought complaints before the class action flood gates were opened to "every victim"?
Blogger chickelit said...
The $25M is just under half of what Trump spent self-funding his election.
Did Hillary spend even one dime of her own money on her failed attempt at the Presidency?
Why not?
Because it would have meant less resources available for the Clinton Global Initiative, and that would have meant hundreds of millions of starving third-world children dying from aids instead of learning how to read and creating a microeconomies based on the Earth-friendly cultivation of Kale for upscale metropolitan American restaurants?
someone's gonna take a shot at him now, almost guaranteed.
I agree and have been worried about it since the convention. The MSM is, of course, encouraging this but interviewing attempted assassins like they were serious authorities. CNN interviewed that young radical who tried to jump onto the stage ay Dayton last summer. His mother s a big Democrat official in Atlanta.
I wonder if anyone will pursue Bill Clinton and his " emolument" as the fake U that paid him for access ?
Trump U was a real estate seminar like hundreds I hear advertised. Csveat Emptor.
"Blogger Terry said...
The latest narrative from NRO seems to be that when Trump does something National Review thinks is wise, like settling this lawsuit, it's because he listened to his advisers, and when he does something National Review believes is foolish, well, that's the real Trump coming through"
The Hillary Clinton for president national review online is little better than the NYTimes. They are not worth the click. They haven't gotten one from me ever since their magnum opus issue.
He'd said he wasn't the kind of person who settles lawsuits ...
There's a finite nonzero chance he lied.
Unknown said...
And thus the last hope of the leftists dies. They were counting on this case taking Trump down. .
Nope, they still have "RAPED A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD!!!!!!TRIAL DEC 16!!!!!
and TRUMP FOUNDATION INVESTIGATION NEW YORK!!!!!!
For fun, make reasonable arguments on other sites and you will see what I mean.
Or, wait for "unknown Inga" to chime in here.
$25,000,000? Trump change!
I get the need to settle an extraneous lawsuit to avoid media distractions, but I hope Trump doesn't carry this over to governance. A huge part of his appeal to many was that he appeared willing to stand there, steadfast and unwavering against unassailable forces and say, "No."
He better not lose this quality.
Seems like a smart move and one that shows him putting the public interest first. His energy needs to go into solving our problems, not his.
Also what does he gain by dragging this out? $25MM in his balance sheet is a sting, not a fatal shot. He pays it now (bad) to buy out a contingent liability that is larger, perhaps dangerously so. He needs to reduce volatility and chase off Black Swans. Why leave the chance of paying a headline-grabbing number, say $100MM or even $200MM if a jury got carried away, after spending $$$ on defense? All while trying to persuade a nervous public that he is focused like a laser on governing? I think he saw a good bargain and seized it.
Another way to look at it is that the AG got lucky when Trump won the election, and collected money that would never have been granted in a trial.
@eric said...
He was pretty adamant that he wouldn't settle. And now he settles.
Surprised? Now we can look for a class-action lawsuit by the Trump misogyny victims - now that the lid is off the cookie jar.
Unknown said...
Nope, they still have "RAPED A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD!!!!!!TRIAL DEC 16!!!!!
"Nope" is not right. Declaring that she was receiving death threats (I can't imagine from whom), the plaintiff "voluntarily" withdrew her assault and rape charges on November 4th.
Althouse, you need to read the Trump depositions in these cases. You might not be so generous to The Donald.
$25M plus whatever costs turn out to be is not insignificant to a guy who feels the need to plot ways for his new Washington hoel to attract foreign diplomats for extra cash.
I see Chuck is still pimping his #NeverTrump #HillaryOrBust bona fides. Maybe all those down ballot losses broke his tender heart.
Good for Trump.
Gotta worry about that jury pool, though, for future suits!
Birkel I VOTED FOR TRUMP.
I voted for Trump because I generally expected that Trump would be more likely to nominate another Scalia. I thought that Trump would choose someone like Jeff Sessions as Attorney General. I expect that Trump's administration will more closely resemble something like a Ryan/McConnell election.
I did not vote for Trump because of Trump's countless stupid comments on Muslim immigration, how he preferred people who weren't captured, his mendacious history in civil litigation, the apparent fraud committed in Trump University, the lying with respect to Corey Lewandowski, et cetera, et cetera.
I liked all of the down-ballot wins. Winners, like Trump detractors Rob Portman, Ron Johnson, Marco Rubio, John McCain, Rand Paul and Mike Lee.
Trump did the right thing in settling the suit, not only for the reasons he stated, but in dealing with the much bigger scam that college education has become. After I heard the report about the Trump University settlement, I heard Dave Ramsey talking to a woman who had become pregnant and had $160,000 in student loan debt on an M.A. in Career Counselling or some such from a private university. Ramsey said her parents were remiss in allowing her to take out such a huge loan. I would add that I think the subject matter of that degree would be more usefully obtained through paid work experience.
We need to make student loan debt dischargeable in bankruptcy court like any other debt and deal with abuses in other ways, such as making the colleges themselves put more skin in the game. After all, a 1973 Plymouth isn't worth $160,000 dollars in car loan debt.
Honestly The Donald's big sin was loaning his name out to a scam operation instead of vetting them properly. The Donald is rich enough that he doesn't need to run scam operations. Hopefully his people do a better job in the future.
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