Say hello to my little friend . . .No, it's not Al Pacino in Scarface. It's Donald Trump, if he's elected in 2024. At least, if you believe MSNBC guest Harry Litman.
On Nicolle Wallace's MSNBC show on Wednesday afternoon, New York Times investigative reporter Susanne Craig described Trump as being "so upset" and "so angry" over the financial and business-limiting penalties that Judge Arthur Engoron is expected to impose on him in the civil fraud suit brought by New York Democrat Attorney General Letitia James.
Substitute host Alicia Menendez--daughter of scandal-ridden Dem Senator Bob Menendez of NJ--then teed up Litman, a former Thurgood Marshall SCOTUS clerk and Bill Clinton US Attorney appointee:
"So Harry, given all of that context from Sue. As you well know, Trump's finances, they've been a so-called redline for him, going all the way back to Robert Mueller's investigation. If these rulings, if they do in fact have a profound effect, as Sue just outlined, on Trump's finances, are you worried about retribution should he win in 2024? Do you think he would target people like the Judge Engoron out of a sense of revenge?"
Replied Litman:
"There's no one he won't target out of a sense of revenge. Think of a guy with a machine gun, spraying everyone."
Litman also worked in a petty shot at Trump, claiming that as a result of the expected ban on Trump serving as an officer or director of any New York company, "he can't sell his steaks in New York."
Not only was Littman's gibe snide, it wasn't even true. Nothing would stop Trump from running a company based in any of the other 49 states and shipping to New York. Get your July 4th BBQ order in early, Harry!
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC
Deadline White House
1/10/24
4:12 pm ETSUSANNE CRAIG: The attorney general was initially looking at penalties of around $250 million. That's now gone up to $370 million. It's going to come in somewhere around there. And it's going to be very painful for Donald Trump.
We know from both the analysis that the attorney general has done of his finances, and also, the New York Times obtained 20-some years of his taxes -- I was part of that group that looked at it, his finances. He doesn't have that sort of cash on hand. And there's a monitor that will be going -- is already over his business. And part of the reason that monitor is there is to make sure there isn't a sale of assets in New York. Because he may eventually have to sell one or two of his major assets in the state just to pay that penalty.
I mean, it's a big deal. We're going to be looking, I think, years out, who knows really how long, but a long time out, because it's going to go up to appeals. But that's the reality for him, and that is why he's so angry. There is so much at stake for him. And for his children, it's their inheritance. And just his ability to do business in New York will also be affected. He may essentially be run out of New York. I mean, it's not just the financial penalty, either. Seeking to bar officers of the company and him from doing business. It's a huge deal for him.
ALICIA MENENDEZ: So Harry, given all of that context from Sue. As you well know, Trump's finances, they've been a so-called redline for him, going all the way back to Robert Mueller's investigation.
If these rulings, if they do in fact have a profound effect, as Sue just outlined, on Trump's finances, are you worried about retribution should he win in 2024? Do you think he would target people like Judge Engoron out of a sense of revenge?
HARRY LITMAN: There's no one he won't target out of a sense of revenge. Just think of a guy with a machine gun, spraying everyone.
But that, that comes with the territory. I, I, I agree, by the way, with everything Susanne just said. But one point to add on the last point that Sue said, we can really amplify. Because the proposed penalties include that he, Trump, be barred permanently from any job in the real estate industry. You know, he can't even send out a flier. And, he couldn't be an officer or director in any company. He can't sell his steaks in New York.
