Former US Attorney Harry Litman said that the New York lawsuit strikes at the heart of Trump’s brand and shows that his day of reckoning has begun.
Video of Litman on Deadline: White House:
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Litman said on MSNBC’s Deadline: White House:
So, a lot of people are clamoring for Trump the person to be in an Orange jumpsuit. May or may not ever happen, even if he is convicted, but to the extent Trump the brand has been, you know, equated with him as he’s wanted it to, this is an absolute cannon shot against Trump the brand and I think it is basically indefensible on their part.
Yes, there are some difficulties burden of proof, and the like, but I don’t see how you bring this case to a jury, just listen to what he said at the top of this segment here, a jury would loathe him, put on top of that the lower burden of proof and the wildly inflated valuations.
This is really an existential threat to what is second only to his physical person, and that is the Trump brand. Now, in the past, and in history. This is — I would argue, the future is now, as it were. Everyone’s waiting for things to I think given the kind of mortal threat this is to the brand itself, we are now in the period where a reckoning has begun.
The New York AG civil lawsuit could spiral into a criminal case, but the civil case itself is a huge problem for the Trumps because it has the potential to destroy the Trump brand and cut off the family’s access to cash. Trump is not wealthy in respect of having lots of money in the bank.
The Trump business model is based on loans and real estate valuations. If New York bars Trump from getting a loan from any bank registered in the state, that cuts off his cash flow. If Trump’s real estate assets are suddenly properly valued, his wealth goes out of the door.
The reckoning for Donald Trump might not be prison time but total destruction of the brand that he built and financial ruin.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association