Trump Threatens Critic with Frivolous Lawsuit Designed to Squelch Speech
Well, he just lost my vote. (Oh wait: he was never going to get it anyway.)
TPM has the cease-and-desist letter, in which Trump’s lawyer threatens Club for Growth with a lawsuit for telling the truth about Trump’s record. Trumpie-pie is upset that they pointed out that he has supported higher taxes, nationalized health care, and the bailouts.
Sean Davis at my new favorite Web site the Federalist gives us the facts regarding Trump’s tax hike proposals:
Garten’s assertion, however, appears to have little basis in reality. For example, Trump has repeatedly called for higher taxes on certain types of investment income. Garten only needs to spend a few minutes on Google to see the mountains of evidence supporting the charge that Donald Trump wants to raise taxes. Here is but a small sampling of headlines highlighting Trump’s ongoing support for higher taxes:
ABC (Aug. 6): Donald Trump Once Proposed the Biggest Tax Hike Ever
Bloomberg (Aug. 26): Donald Trump says he wants to raise taxes on himself
CNN (Aug. 27): Donald Trump: Tax the rich more
New York Times (Aug. 31): Increase taxes? Talk by Donald Trump alarms G.O.P.
International Business Times (Sept. 8): Elizabeth Warren Praises Donald Trump Tax PlanThe Club for Growth wasn’t exactly going out on a limb by noting that Donald Trump supports higher taxes.
Visit the post itself for all the links.
I have little more to add to that, but I did want to embed the attack ad itself, so that readers can see the ad for themselves and determine whether it is accurate or not:
Ha, I was just going to say wrong vid, but you caught it.
Gazzer (124d91) — 9/22/2015 @ 8:03 pmTrump’s a rump, but I have much much MUCH more interest in exposing the moronic perfidy of Democrats and how they are hell-bent on taking our nation down the toilet with them.
Colonel Haiku (a5ef55) — 9/22/2015 @ 8:25 pmI can never remember: does Club for Growth represent the no-holds-barred uncompromising troglodyte wing of the GOP, or are they squishy RINOs beholden to the beltway elite? I just want to know so that I can be prepared for the counter-attack from Trump’s supporters.
JVW (ba78f9) — 9/22/2015 @ 8:32 pmThe sort of threat of defamation litigation is a frequent Trump tactic. He doesn’t have a history of actually following up by pursuing it, and on the few exceptions, he’s fared poorly.
This threat is empty. It’s only purpose or value is to give Trump’s PR people a chance to spin and re-spin Trump talking points for purposes of any audience they can attract outside the courthouse.
Beldar (fa637a) — 9/22/2015 @ 8:50 pmI blush:
“The sort of threat” –> “This sort of threat”
“It’s only purpose” –> “Its only purpose”
Beldar (fa637a) — 9/22/2015 @ 8:51 pmProf Reynolds pretty much nails the Trump phenomenon:
“Populism, like Trump, is a symptom. Most people prefer not to think about politics, and to let things be run by reasonably competent people who are reasonably motivated by the public good. Populism arises when that’s not the case. Like heavy turnout at a condo association meeting, it’s a sign of trouble at the top.”
The prospect of the same old people choosing the same old candidate (Jeb) for a steady-as-she-goes cruise into the icebergs has got the people who would prefer to spend their time drinking beer at the ballgame finally involved. And here’s this guy saying what they say while drinking their beer at the ballgame…
Kevin M (25bbee) — 9/22/2015 @ 9:12 pmThe ongoing feud between Donald Trump and the Club for Growth—the best feud of the Republican primary by far—is now multitudes better, which we pretty much knew would happen once CfG decided to spend $1 million in ads against Trump.
Rebekka Sebela (c7a2fd) — 9/22/2015 @ 10:08 pmI am praying CFG spends all their money chasing Trump, allowing Mr. Cruz some wiggle room.
mg (31009b) — 9/22/2015 @ 10:46 pmIn a world gone lawfare crazy and a legal establishment that seems corrupt from top to bottom, outrage over Trump’s bloviation du jour leaves me nonplussed. Is this supposed to close the deal?
Paul Mirengoff has an interesting piece over at Powerline about how this Trump fixation helped sink Scott Walker – if you’re counting, he’s actually casualty #2.
I, too, like Glenn Reynold’s take. There’s something important to be learned in the Trump phenomenon, which many don’t seem to get.
ThOR (a52560) — 9/22/2015 @ 11:46 pmTrumpie-pie
that’s gonna leave a mark
happyfeet (831175) — 9/23/2015 @ 2:18 ammy sense though as far as the taxes go, Mr. The Donald knows you gotta dance with them what brung ya
are we better off with Mr. T than reading establishment coverboy jeb bush’s greasy lying bushfilth lips?
is hard to say
we know that bushes lie and lie
here have a slice of trumpie-pie
if it’s a shake-up you’d compel
you can’t dip from the same old well
roll the dice! trump’s flaws excuse
you’ve truly nothing left to lose
happyfeet (831175) — 9/23/2015 @ 2:54 amSo… Trump’s response to criticism is to sic lawyers on his critics. Alternate headline: “Trump Tries To Squelch Free Speech With Baseless Lawfare”. Yeah… I sooo want this guy pushing the buttons for the IRS, Justice Department, and Homeland Security. Sheesh.
waw (49f9a4) — 9/23/2015 @ 5:07 amThis is like when Trump freaked out on Megyn Kelley after the first debate. You know he wouldn’t behave this way if he didn’t fear this ad damaging his poll numbers.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: for a guy who claims to be a tough talker, Trump sure does whine a lot.
tops116 (d094f8) — 9/23/2015 @ 7:12 amYou know, tops116, I’m a big chess player. Love chess. I’m rated a junior master. In chess I’ve found that one can screw with the mind of one’s opponent by throwing all kinds of BS at him. Keeps him thinking in the wrong direction. What I’m saying is that while people are talking about how Trump is suing or how thin skinned he is they are not asking him in depth policy questions. That’s a win for Trump, dontchathink?
Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie (f4eb27) — 9/23/2015 @ 7:23 amTrump’s stomping ground, Manhattan, is chock full of limousine liberals and champagne socialists. In such settings — particularly if one doesn’t want to get frozen out of the social circuit, and unless one is very independent minded and very strong in his or her ideology, the contagion and effects of Liberal-itis (full of hypocrisy, double standards, idiocy and flat-out dishonesty) will be hard to avoid.
Mark (20a705) — 9/23/2015 @ 7:43 amFrom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedge_fund .
Sounds like bitcoin for the super wealthy.
from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/01/us/politics/republicans-wary-of-donald-trumps-populist-tone-on-taxes.html?_r=0 .
According to the Times, Trump’s tax increases are targeted at previously tax free unregulated hedge fund managers, grifting the cream off the top from unsuspecting multi-millionaires.
Or as a punishment to encourage American companies like BofA not to ditch out of state when onerous policies which the would be ex pat companies lobbied for start to fall upon their competition.
I’m good with that. Hell better than good.
How many times are you going to regurgitate this same video clip? It wasn’t persuasive on the first run. Flowering it up with a nice fringe doesn’t make it more so.
papertiger (c2d6da) — 9/23/2015 @ 7:46 amPopulist is as populist does. He’s doing his best to hide the fact that he’s a closet Dem. He’s managed to fool a lot of people with his bluster. I personally think it won’t last a lot longer.
Bill H (2a858c) — 9/23/2015 @ 8:03 ammy new favorite Web site the Federalist
The Federalist, co-founded and run by a serial plagiarist and shill, is your favorite web site?
scrutineer (b7d257) — 9/23/2015 @ 8:15 amSpeaking of your “Liberal-itis” Mark, yesterday I saw an ad somewhere for Bernie Sanders and it was about twenty multimillionaire movie and TV stars backing Sanders for president. The hypocrisy s sickening! These people couldn’t get more ignorant if they tried. Their quest to be “loved” and to be relevant has made them morons.
Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie (f4eb27) — 9/23/2015 @ 8:23 amThe Club for Growth supports lower taxes, the elimination of estate taxes, limited government, a balanced budget, entitlement reform, free trade, tort reform, school choice, and deregulation.
The Club’s PAC endorses and raises money for candidates espouse fiscal conservatism. It’s today’s leading conservative institution.
Yet, the Club has a few skeletons rattling around. The Club’s chairman, Jackson T “Steve” Stevens, is the son of Jackson T Stevens who founded the Stevens Group which was heavily involved with Bill Clinton, Mochtar Riady, and Tyson Foods in Arkansas and a lifelong friend of Jimmy Carter. When one scandel after another rocked the Clinton Administration, it was Riady who supplied the hush money to buy Webb Hubble’s silence.
To their credit, the Club opposed the $787 billion stimulus bill, Cash for Clunkers, cap and trade legislation, the Wall Street bailout, the auto bailout, the Affordable Care Act and the bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Chairman Stevens was so highly critical of Mike Huckabee, he at one point threatened to run against the sitting Arkansas governor. Jackson supports Ted Cruz, and believes Marco Rubio and Rand Paul are the other true conservatives in the race, he also supports Jeb bush. He opposes Donald Trump, Chris Christie, Mike Huckabee, and John Kasich.
ropelight (3b23c1) — 9/23/2015 @ 8:57 amI thought the Club for Growth had to do with male pattern baldness. That’s what it sounds like. That’s why I ignored it, I still have my hair.
Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie (f4eb27) — 9/23/2015 @ 9:02 amActually, it was Stevens’ father, same name, who was a lifelong friend of Jimmy Carter. The two met at as fellow cadets at Westpoint.
ropelight (3b23c1) — 9/23/2015 @ 9:02 amPawn to King’s 4.
ropelight (3b23c1) — 9/23/2015 @ 9:03 amSpringsteen has a lyric about “golden heeled fairies in a real bi!tch fight”. Is there a lyric about rich jerkoffs in a huff and puff match?
nk (dbc370) — 9/23/2015 @ 9:15 am“Actually, it was Stevens’ father, same name, who was a lifelong friend of Jimmy Carter. The two met at as fellow cadets at Westpoint.”
Westpoint! Carter was graduate of Annapolis.
Davod (f3a711) — 9/23/2015 @ 12:55 pmTrump is playing the Beltway politicians and the media, and I think many conservatives like that. Conservatives don’t have to support Trump to support what he’s doing:
In the past two Presidential elections, the GOP nominated a war hero and a successful businessman/church leader. You can’t get more character than that. Traditionally, character was a sign that a person had the willpower and determination to fight the good fight, but today’s GOP politicians make me think that’s no longer true. Watching Trump and Fiorina rise to the top and former Eagle Scouts Perry and Walker drop out makes me wonder if other conservatives feel that way, too.
DRJ (521990) — 9/23/2015 @ 1:11 pmYour serial plagiarist charge is by way of Wikipedia? Seriously? The website that anyone can change virtually at whim? Do you have any solid, real evidence?
Bill H (2a858c) — 9/23/2015 @ 5:32 pmits stephens, I didn’t know that detail about stephens fils, he owned a condo, in a building down in south florida with bob dole, as for domenech, that episode is well documented, however, his site on balance, provides a fresh prospective, better than the national review,
narciso (ee1f88) — 9/23/2015 @ 5:37 pmI’m boycotting all Nabisco products because they moved Oreo production out of Chicago to Mexico, so I’m one up on Trump who’s only cutting out Oreos. And it’s a real sacrifice. Keebler’s Chips Deluxe are not as good as Chips Ahoy. And I don’t know what I’ll replace Ritz crackers with.
nk (dbc370) — 9/23/2015 @ 5:41 pmjust to clarify,
http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=10319109&privcapId=10312492&%2520Co.%2520LLC
the ‘grapevine’* listserve was another interesting thing,
*translation from malay,
narciso (ee1f88) — 9/23/2015 @ 5:46 pmIs pumpkin oreo time?
happyfeet (d5cd93) — 9/23/2015 @ 6:05 pmPumpkin latkes. L-a-t-k-e-s, not l-a-t-t-e-s.
nk (dbc370) — 9/23/2015 @ 6:20 pmDeep fried.
nk (dbc370) — 9/23/2015 @ 6:22 pmthose look fun and tasty where I can find?
happyfeet (d5cd93) — 9/23/2015 @ 6:24 pmI might make some on Halloween. I don’t think they’re a commercial item.
nk (dbc370) — 9/23/2015 @ 6:35 pm@Bill H: NY times, Malkin, NRO, NRO again.
scrutineer (b7d257) — 9/23/2015 @ 6:49 pmYou’re a Greek, nk? Love your food. When I was a kid I lived on the border of the Greek section of Philly and my best friend was Alex (naturally). His father, Savas, was my dads best friend. His mother got us jobs at the tender age of 13 on the boardwalk in Wildwood, NJ, a place called the Hot Spot. The owner Harry, became my mentor and I worked there every summer till I was 17. Went from clean up to manager and that crazy Greek taught me everything from ordering to prep and from menu layout and pricing to sanitation. He’s the reason I went into the restaurant business. You know for two years I thought my name in Greek was “milaka”. Ha , ha. That’s all he called me. When I graduated to Yanni I knew I made the cut.
BTW, my friends mom and his yaya taught me how to make spanakopita, dolmas and more and I make them killer. I even feed them to my Korean wife. They taught me so much. I loved those old broads. They took the time to teach an Irish kid from South Philly to cook Greek. Whoda thought?
Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie (f4eb27) — 9/23/2015 @ 6:53 pmmy sister’s coming friday but she’s in town for some race so I don’t know if she’ll want to hit up any bakeries with me
happyfeet (831175) — 9/23/2015 @ 6:59 pmGreeks know how to feed people, and enjoy doing it. All over the world. The daughter and her mother were in Stockholm last year and went to an American steak house. The owner was a Greek.
nk (dbc370) — 9/23/2015 @ 7:04 pm@ Bill H (2a858c) — 9/23/2015 @ 5:32 pm
You ever tried to correct a Wikipedia entry? It’s cute you think anybody can change it at whim.
papertiger (c2d6da) — 9/23/2015 @ 7:36 pmIN practice it’s more like getting a correction out of Think Progress or the Puffington Host.
#25, Davod, good catch, you’re correct, Stevens and Carter met at the Naval Academy. My mistake, and I know better. Thanks.
ropelight (3b23c1) — 9/23/2015 @ 8:13 pmThe reason that is happening is because just about every country has lower corporate taxes than us. If you really think that makes sense, charge sky high corporate taxes and then try to keep companies here by force, you should be voting Democrat. That’s their way of thinking. I guess that explains why you support Trump actually.
Gerald A (949d7d) — 9/23/2015 @ 8:22 pmHis true believers have no interest in hearing him answer in depth policy questions.
Gerald A (949d7d) — 9/23/2015 @ 8:24 pmTraditionally, character was a sign that a person had the willpower and determination to fight the good fight, but today’s GOP politicians make me think that’s no longer true. Watching Trump and Fiorina rise to the top and former Eagle Scouts Perry and Walker drop out makes me wonder if other conservatives feel that way, too.
I have a hunch that most people in general, regardless of political affiliation, during this era of sloppy liberalism and tattoo-covered nihilism have become increasingly desensitized and shock-proof when it comes to negative traits of major figureheads representing 21st century America.
Liberals of yesteryear may have been not quite as easygoing about and forgiving of a scrounge like Hillary 2015 (much less her husband) than their successors are, and conservatives of yesteryear may have raised much more of an eyebrow regarding Trump’s series of marriages and divorces, while their successors nowadays struggle to not yawn about such things.
To paraphrase Daniel Moynihan (a Democrat, no less, but of a previous generation), deviancy (but marginal cultural characteristics overall) has been defined down, way down.
Mark (f05207) — 9/23/2015 @ 9:06 pmIt only makes sense for businesses to flee Illinois in general and Chicago in specific. The outrageous tax rates of that State and that City are such that most anywhere else would be a better place for that business. And if you’re going to abandon a high tax city and a high tax state for somewhere with lower taxes, you might as well make just one move into a low tax country to make a much more stable business atmosphere. Instead of the high cost of moving once now, and once again later. Because with the Democrats and Trump and Bush and Christie and a few other Republicans, there will be no tax relief coming. Worse, there will be even higher taxes coming.
So, get out while the getting’s good. And more power to them.
John Hitchcock (e5f961) — 9/24/2015 @ 4:40 amI know that Gerald A, what I meant was it keeps the media off policy questions since they love the crazy stuff a load more than serious Q’s and A’s.
Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie (f4eb27) — 9/24/2015 @ 5:46 amGerald A and John Hitchcock are right. The democrat-socialists raise taxes, increase regulations and pass business unfriendly laws continuously then when the businesses can no longer thrive and move out of the country they call them unpatriotic for not wanting to stay and get screwed.
Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie (f4eb27) — 9/24/2015 @ 5:52 amExcellence. Something I can pursue. Thank you.
Bill H (2a858c) — 9/24/2015 @ 4:28 pm