Reverting to his obsessive litigious form, mentally unstable con man Donald "Loser" Trump is suing three New York Times reporters and his niece, clinical psychologist Dr. Mary Trump, for the story published in several installments in September 2020 that broke down his tax-doging scams. Trump's suit alleges that his niece's disclosure of his taxes (which were part of a 2001 settlement agreement with her) to the Times reporters was illegal. Interestingly, the three reporters -- Susanne Craig, David Barstow and Russ Buettner -- won the Pulitzer Prize for their 18-month long work in unveiling Trump's multi-year tax dodging scams and in debunking his claims to be a "self-made" billionaire. Some of the highlights from the 2020 Times articles:
- Mr. Trump paid no federal income taxes in 11 of 18 years that the Times examined. In 2017, after he became president, his tax bill was only $750.
- He has reduced his tax bill with questionable measures, including a $72.9 million tax refund that is the subject of an audit by the Internal Revenue Service.
- Many of his signature businesses, including his golf courses, report losing large amounts of money — losses that have helped him to lower his taxes.
- The financial pressure on him is increasing as hundreds of millions of dollars in loans he personally guaranteed are soon coming due.
- Even while declaring losses, he has managed to enjoy a lavish lifestyle by taking tax deductions on what most people would consider personal expenses, including residences, aircraft and $70,000 in hairstyling for television.
- Ivanka Trump, while working as an employee of the Trump Organization, appears to have received “consulting fees” that also helped reduce the family’s tax bill.
- As president, he has received more money from foreign sources and U.S. interest groups than previously known. The records do not reveal any previously unreported connections to Russia. (our emphasis)
From the CNN story linked above:
"At the time, Donald Trump dismissed the report as a 'very old, boring and often told hit piece,' though he did not directly dispute any of its findings. Trump's lawyer Charles Harder said at the time that 'The New York Times' allegations of fraud and tax evasion are 100 percent false, and highly defamatory,' according to the paper.
Mary Trump -- the daughter of the former president's late older brother, Fred Trump Jr. -- has been outspoken against her uncle, including penning a book, "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man," in 2020 that painted an unflattering portrait of the Trump family and their financial dealings." (our emphasis)
Mary Trump acknowledged in her book that she was a source for the New York Times' exposé. Asked to comment on her uncle's latest lawsuit, she said:
"I think he is a fucking loser, and he is going to throw anything against the wall he can. It's desperation. The walls are closing in and he is throwing anything against the wall that he thinks will stick. As is always the case with Donald, he'll try and change the subject." (our emphasis)
