By Matt Underwood Judge tosses Trump’s $15B defamation suit against New York Times, Penguin Random House, and the immediate reaction, honestly, is a breath of fresh air. It’s like watching a particularly tedious piece of homework get thrown in the trash – satisfying and a bit of a relief. The judge, Steven D. Merryday, wasted no time in calling out the suit for what it was: a mess. He bluntly stated it “stands unmistakably and inexcusably athwart the requirements” of legal procedure. The entire thing sounds like it was drafted by someone who skipped law school, and the judge essentially echoed that sentiment. It sounds like Trump’s complaint was a rambling, incoherent mess.
This rejection is a smackdown of epic proportions. Judge Merryday’s words feel incredibly satisfying. He basically said the complaint was “decidedly improper and impermissible” and that the legal document was not only bad, but a waste of time. That’s not just legal jargon; that’s a solid indictment. And the fact that this came from a judge appointed by George H.W. Bush only adds another layer of, dare I say, deliciousness. It seems like it was fast, and frankly, that’s a good thing.
What’s unfortunate, though, is that we’re missing out on the potential goldmine of discovery documents. The juicy details, the hidden memos – all of that would have been fantastic. Sadly, those revelations won’t see the light of day. But, perhaps, the New York Times can now consider filing a countersuit. It would be the appropriate response, considering the amount of resources and time that this suit would have wasted.
This whole saga is a perfect example of the pattern we’ve seen. The lawsuits come, they’re often frivolous, and they’re designed to create noise. It is also a perfect example of a cult of personality. The supporters don’t care if what they’re hearing is accurate. The goal seems to be about stirring up the base and creating a spectacle.
The situation also highlights the potential for abuse. It’s not just about the legal fees and wasted time. It’s about the fact that the man at the center of all this probably knew the lawsuit was going nowhere. But, it gave him a platform to claim victimization. It would have also allowed him to avoid an uncomfortable deep dive into the details, all while stoking the fires of his loyal supporters. It’s a win-win in his eyes, even if the rest of us see it as a waste.
Trump probably wants it to play out this way. He can say that he tried, but excuse it off as, “corrupt judges” to enrage his cult. He can avoid going to discovery, which would inevitably show the things he doesn’t want others to see. And his cultists won’t hear about it. The people know he bragged about the suit, so they’ll believe he won it if he just says so. Also, his administration would not allow him to attempt again due to the risk of what documents they could subpoena.
The fact that the judge had to sift through pages of praise for Trump, his show, and his business empire adds another layer of absurdity to the whole thing. It’s almost like the lawyers were trying to flatter their way to a win. Instead, they got a well-deserved rejection. His lawyers are likely to be sanctioned for their behavior.
It makes you wonder if a judge could really be the deciding factor here, especially with a case this outlandish. This whole spectacle would not be able to make it past the discovery phase in another instance. The NYT would be very willing to settle in order to make the ordeal go away. The current landscape in the US is concerning.
The core of the issue, and the reason why so many of these antics are successful, comes down to a fundamental misunderstanding, or perhaps a deliberate misrepresentation, of reality. When he speaks, he doesn’t really say anything concrete. He uses generalizations and vague statements, which leaves room for his supporters to fill in the blanks with what they want to hear. And then you have the constant stream of awful, hateful, and bigoted statements. The core values of this movement are based around bigotry.
The fact that the NYT didn’t pay off the “Tangerine Turd” should be a source of celebration. But in the long term, it’s really just a sad reflection on how broken things have become. This country is a mess.
The predictable aftermath of this will be the “I won the lawsuit!” claims that will be all over social media. It’s a smokescreen, of course. The man enjoys throwing out these lawsuits to get rejected, all in an effort to keep up appearances. He’s a mental midget. But in the meantime, the legal system continues to operate, even if it is in a state of perpetual chaos. The legal system is not meant to be used for the purposes for which it is being used by certain actors.