Judge Donald Middlebrooks ruled in favor of Dolan, Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee in a failed campaign to undermine the 2016 presidential election
A federal judge on Thursday ordered sanctions against attorneys for former President Donald Trump in his failed lawsuit against Hillary Clinton, the Democratic National Committee and numerous others that he claimed conspired to undermine the 2016 presidential election.
Judge Donald Middlebrooks ordered Trump lawyers Alina Habba, Michael Madaio, Peter Ticktin, Jamie Alan Sasson and their law firms to pay $50,000 in penalties to the court and $16,274.23 in legal fees to Charles Dolan, one of more than two dozen people or entities named as defendants in the lawsuit.
Dolan’s lawyer, George Doumar, praised the ruling. “Trying to use the courts for political purposes undermines the foundations of our court system, I think that’s the message being sent. That message applies to lawyers and to clients,” Doumar said.
The pleadings contained factual allegations that were either knowingly false or reckless in disregard for the truth.
“Not just initiated by a shotgun pleading, this was a shotgun lawsuit. Thirty-one individuals and organizations were forced to pay lawyers to defend against frivolous claims according to the judge. “The only common thread against them was Mr. Trump’s animus.”
Instead of heeding the warnings, Trump’s lawyers doubled down on the allegations that he was wrong, and seemingly chose not to tell their client that he was so incorrect that they couldn’t.
A law firm that represented Steve Bannon has sued him for over $500,000 for failing to pay their legal bills.
“This action simply seeks payment of an outstanding bill for legal services rendered in the amount of $480,487.87 in addition to scheduling a hearing on the reasonable attorneys’ fees DHC is contractually entitled to as the prevailing party in this litigation,” the law firm wrote.
The House January 6 investigation of a grand jury convicted of misconduct in a criminal case involving subpoena testimony against an attorney representing Bannon
In his criminal case related to the House January 6 investigation, a jury convicted Bannon of failing to turn over documents and appearing for testimony last summer. Bannon has appealed his contempt of Congress conviction for defying the committee’s subpoena.
The lawyers representing him in the case have differences of opinion, and have tried to get out of the case. Next week, the judge will be updated by the man on his attempts to find new lawyers.
Robert Costello, an attorney at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, had represented Bannon opposite the House subpoena, but became a witness in the case so Bannon had a different legal team at trial.
The Davidoff firm said in the lawsuit that its “bills for fees and expenses totaled $855,487.87. Defendant paid only $375,000.00 of the total bill leaving a total of $480,487.87 outstanding.”