Federal Judge Sanctions Trump Lawyers for ‘Frivolous’ Lawsuit Against Hillary Clinton and Others

On Nov. 10, United States District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks ordered sanctions against former President Trump’s lawyers for their mishandling of Trump’s lawsuit against Hillary Clinton, former FBI Director James Comey, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and others. In the lawsuit—which was dismissed by Middlebrooks in September—Trump alleged that Clinton and others executed a plan to spread disinformation about his campaign during the 2016 presidential election. 

According to the order, Middlebrooks found that claims asserted by Trump’s counsel in the lawsuit were “frivolous, most barred by settled, well-established existing law,” and were “political grievances masquerading as legal claims” that were “either knowingly false or made in reckless disregard for the truth.” Further, Middlebrooks found that the invalid legal claims asserted by Trump’s lawyers “cannot be attributed incompetent lawyering” and instead amount to a “deliberate use of the judicial system to pursue a political agenda.” Middlebrooks continued on, ruling that, “Thirty-one individuals and organizations were summoned to court, forced to hire lawyers to defend against frivolous claims. The only common thread against them was Mr. Trump’s animus.”

Trump’s lawyers—Alina Habba, Michael T. Madaio, Habba Madaio & Associates, Peter Ticktin, Jamie Alan Sasson, and the Ticktin Law Group—were also ordered to pay $50,000 to the court, and $16,274.23 to Charles Dolan, one of the defendants that Trump’s lawyers falsely characterized as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. 

You can read the order here or below: