Former President Donald Trump has been ordered to pay the New York Times about $400,000 (£313,900) in legal expenses following an unsuccessful lawsuit.
Mr Trump’s $100 million lawsuit accuses the newspaper and his estranged niece, Mary Trump, of “an insidious plot” to obtain his tax returns.
Last year, a judge dismissed it, stating that its claims “fail as a matter of constitutional law”.
A Pulitzer Prize was awarded for articles about Donald’s financial troubles.
Donald Trump Asked To Pay NY Times Nearly $400,000 In Legal Costs
On Friday, New York Supreme Court Judge Robert Reed, a Democrat, ordered Mr Trump to reimburse the New York Times for legal fees expended in his failed legal case.
The judge stated that he arrived at the amount of $392,638 after examining numerous factors, including “the complexity of the issues presented” in the action and the “ability and reputation” of the newspaper’s attorneys.
The complaint, which sprang from a 2018 investigation alleging that the former president was involved in “dubious tax schemes,” accused three journalists of working with Donald’s niece as part of a “personal vendetta” against him. They constantly chased her and persuaded her to hand in documents.
Judge Reed rejected the complaint in May, saying that the judicial system has “long recognised that reporters are entitled to engage in legal and ordinary newsgathering activities”.
The judge stated that the acts were fundamental to the country’s First Amendment, which protects the freedom of free speech.
Donald Trump Asked To Pay NY Times Nearly $400,000 In Legal Costs
The Trump trial has garnered significant attention as the Senate debates the former president’s impeachment. The proceedings focus on whether Donald incited the Capitol riot, and the potential consequences of a conviction.
Donald Trump Asked To Pay NY Times Nearly $400,000 In Legal Costs
Democrats assert that holding Donald accountable is crucial for upholding the rule of law, while Republicans argue that the trial is unconstitutional given Donald’s departure from office.
The trial’s outcome is anticipated to have profound implications for the political landscape and the future of the Republican party.
SOURCE – (BBC)
