Even though the Trump administration is over and he has escaped impeachment conviction twice, one would think that all his troubles are over. However, it seems that the former president's legal troubles are just beginning. In fact, Trump has a large number of lawsuits, civil and criminal investigations hovering over him. All these stem from his time before, during, and after his time in the White House. To learn further about Trump's legal issues, it is best to take the time to go one by one over some of the most well-known cases.
The U.S. Capitol Riot
The most recent lawsuit placed on Trump was due to his alleged involvement in the January 6th U.S Capital riot. The federal civil suit was submitted by Rep. Bennie Thompson. The congressman accuses Trump and his former attorney Rudy Giuliani of inciting a riot that caused not only severe property damage to the U.S Capital but the deaths of multiple people. The civil suit introduced by Rep. Bennie Thompson stated that the riot which was allegedly incited by Trump prevented the congressman from approving the electoral college victory of then-President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Rep. Bennie Thompson stated on MSNBC that those who lose an election should never attempt to overturn it; instead, they should wait to see their opponent in the next election. In response to those accusations as well as the civil suit, Trump spokesman Jason Miller commented on how those claims were already disproven as the Senate had acquitted Trump of those allegations. However, the question of whether Trump will face charges for the riot is still up in the air. D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine has stated that former President Trump, as well as his former attorney Rudy Giuliani both, used words that riled up their supporters.
Voting Rights Lawsuit
Another aspect of Rep. Bennie Thompson's lawsuit against Trump is in regards to a law passed during the reconstruction-era. The Ku Klux Klan Act was created and implemented in 1871 to combat terrorist organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan from disrupting members of Congress from discharging their official duties. Rep. Bennie Thompson states that Trump, along with his co-conspirators, violated this act when they prevented Congress from approving the electoral college votes.
Georgia Phone Call
In Atlanta, officials have begun a criminal investigation against Trump for his involvement in allegedly attempting to overturn the Electoral win of President Joe Biden. The call, which was made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, contains a recording of Trump asking Brad Raffensperger to "find" enough votes to overturn the election within that state. Georgia prosecutors are currently looking into the matter to determine if the call violated state law. In fact, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis commented that they are very much open to looking into the matter.
Sexual Misconduct
Former Elle columnist E. Jean Carroll filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump in 2019. Carroll accused Trump of sexually assaulting her as she was changing within a dressing room during the 1990s. Trump told The Hill during an interview that she was a liar and that the incident never actually happened. Further issues with this case occurred when the Justice Department began looking to replace Trump's current lawyers as they pointed towards the fact that Trump made the remarks while president and thus should have access to federal attorneys. This argument/request was later denied by the courts.
Trump Finances
Perhaps the most commonly spoken about legal issues regarding Trump include his personal finances, particularly dealing with his businesses in New York. In fact, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance are both looking into various improprieties amongst Trump's business dealings within the state. Letitia James is focusing on the Trump Organization's financial records, many of them including the valuation of assets which have been thought to have been inflated by Trump. District Attorney Cyrus Vance is looking into criminal matters relating to the Trump Organization's potential financial crimes regarding a number of business loans that are potentially worth millions of dollars each.
