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Former US President Donald Trump was ordered to pay around $400,000 in legal fees to The New York Times and three investigative reporters on January 12 over a lawsuit about a Pulitzer Prize-winning story.
The New York Times and three investigative reporters won a Pulitzer Prize for a 2018 story about Donald Trump’s family’s wealth and tax practices. Earlier in 2021, Donald Trump had filed a lawsuit over this story. However, the newspaper and reporters Susanne Craig, David Barstow and Russell Buettner were dismissed from the lawsuit in May. Trump accused his estranged niece, Mary Trump of giving tax records to the reporters and breaching the settlement agreement. A verdict over this suit is still pending.
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Trump claimed that the reporters were aware prior settlement agreement with Mary Trump that barred her from disclosing the documents. Mary Trump had received these documents in a dispute over family patriarch Fred Trump’s estate.
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The 2018 story stated that Donald Trump and his father avoided gift and inheritance taxes by undervaluing assets to tax authorities and by methods including setting up a sham corporation. The news report mentioned that it was based on more than 100,000 pages of financial documents, including confidential tax returns for the father and his companies. In 2020, Mary Trump identified herself in a book published as the source of the documents.
New York Judge, Robert Reed said that given the “complexity of the issues” in the case and other factors, it was reasonable that Donald Trump be forced to pay lawyers for the Times and the reporters a total of $392,638 in legal fees, reported AP.
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While referring to a New York law that bars baseless lawsuits designed to silence critics, Times spokesperson Danielle Rhoads Ha said, “Today’s decision shows that the state’s newly amended anti-SLAPP statute can be a powerful force for protecting press freedom,” reported AP. Such lawsuits are known as SLAPPs or strategic lawsuits against public participation.
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Danielle Rhoads Ha added, “The court has sent a message to those who want to misuse the judicial system to try to silence journalists.”
In a separate ruling Friday, Robert Reed denied a request by Mary Trump – now the sole defendant – that the case be put on hold while she appeals his June decision that allowed Donald Trump’s claim against her to proceed.
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Robert Reed denied a request by Mary Trump to put the case on hold in a separate ruling on January 12.
Donald Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba, said they were disappointed that the Times and its reporters were dropped from the case. Alina Habba mentioned they were pleased that the court has “once again affirmed the strength of our claims against Mary and is denying her attempt to avoid accountability,” reported AP. She added, “We look forward to proceeding with our claims against her.”
(With inputs from AP)
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Published: 13 Jan 2024, 09:12 AM IST
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