Donald Trump civil cases could trudge on, even after presidential victory

by Ella Lee and Zach Schonfeld - 11/07/24 6:00 AM ET

  • Civil Lawsuits Against Trump: Despite his return to the White House, Trump faces significant civil lawsuits, including a $464 million judgment in New York and nearly $90 million in defamation suits by E. Jean Carroll.
  • Legal Challenges: Trump is also involved in a civil case related to the January 6 Capitol attack, with discovery ongoing and no trial date set.
  • Historical Context: The Supreme Court previously allowed civil lawsuits against sitting presidents, as seen in the Paula Jones case against Bill Clinton.
  • Political Reactions: New York Attorney General Letitia James and Trump’s campaign spokesperson have made strong statements regarding the ongoing legal battles.

The former president and president-elect remains tied up in a civil case brought in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, against himself and extremist group leaders.

As opposed to criminal prosecutions against a sitting president, which long-standing Justice Department policy precludes, civil lawsuits against the Oval Office occupant have been permitted to proceed before.

It leaves open the possibility of messy legal battles during Trump’s second term — and a chance his personal coffers could still be drained despite his ascension to the nation’s highest office.

The New York Attorney General office earlier this year won a $464 million judgment — plus interest that is still accruing — against Trump and his family business after a state judge determined they conspired to alter the former president’s net worth for tax and insurance benefits.1

“No matter what the next administration throws at us, we’re ready,” James said at a press conference with Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) the day after Election Day. “We’re ready to respond to their attacks.”

“So despite what has happened on the national stage, we will continue to stand tall in the face of injustice, revenge, retribution,” she added.

  1. @RalphHightower: Trump Organization deflated its property value assessments for lower property tax payments, and inflated its property values or occupancy rates for favorable bank loans and interest rates. The Trump Organization was found guilty of the deflation/inflation in New York. I’m sure that this has occurred in other states where the Trump Organization owns properties. ↩