thepoliblog

The New York Times Should Sue President Chump

Upside-down version of Trump Sr. at Citizens United Freedom Summit in Greenville South Carolina May 2015, photo by Michael Vadon.

President Trump is his official name, but President Chump is his descriptive name.

Chump’s lawyer, Charles Harder, recently threatened that Chump might sue the New York Times for its explosive revelations about Chump’s tax dodges, and those of his father. Tuesday, October 2. David Fahrenthold’s article in the Washington Post is a useful summary, and includes two enlightening videos.

Also galling to Chump was the Times’ evidence that he was not at all a self-made man, but had a huge financial leg up, from his father.

As Paul Farhi notes in an article in the Washington Post, Chump often threatens to sue and then does not sue – exactly the behavior expended of a habitual bully such as himself.

My own reading is that Chump is especially unlikely to sue in this case, because doing so would subject his tax forms to scrutiny by a judge and a jury, and would force the revelation to the public of at least summaries of what he wants to hide.

The shenanigans in Chump’s tax forms are the reason that he never delivered on his repeated promises during the 2016 Presidential campaign that he would release his tax forms.

The New York Times should sue President Chump for libelling the professional integrity and due diligence of its reporters and editors, and the consequent damage the Times’ credibility and reputation, and to the credibility and reputation of the reporters and editors who worked on the story.

If the Times sued Chump, much of what Chump wants to hide would be revealed.

To sue would be the patriotic thing for the New York Times to do, as well as the direct way to undo Chump’s damage to the Times.

Besides defending the Times’ reputation, taking Chump to court would reap widespread public good will, and probably a significant number of new online subscribers.