He can’t find a lawyer
Law-mavens are following the Maralago adventures with keen interest. [Updating to add: the bit about not having a lawyer turns out to be a mistake. H/t Screechy]
Typical Trump, too – always with the overkill. It’s like that hideous gilded apartment in Trump Tower.
Trump is not representing himself. That appears to be based on a misunderstanding of something on the docket sheet.
The old saying, “A man who is his own lawyer has a fool a client.” has never been more true. I can imagine Trump smugly questioning himself on the stand, trotting back and forth between the witness stand and the desks for counsel, tiny hands flapping. Oh, to see him under cross from a competent prosecutor. A consummation devoutly to be wished…
If he did manage to find legal representation, that lawyer would be taking the case pro bono. They might not know it at the time, but that’s how it would end up.
There was an image circulating of the court docket showing “pro se”, but that was later amended with the names of counsel. So, a mistake. Embarrassing, but not of great consequence.
It is true that Trump is having trouble finding lawyers. Law firms are disallowing their partners to work for him because they think that representing Trump will reflect badly on them. (Flashing on an old joke. God threatens to sue Satan. Satan sneers, “and just where do you think you’re going to find a lawyer?”)
One important consideration is how easy or not it will be for Trump’s friends and neighbours to visit him during his term likely coming up in whatever slammer. I think that the Dade County Hoosegow (close by) has to be front runner in those stakes.
Just so folks know, the corruption continues–Trump deliberately filed his motion in a court where the only judge is one he appointed, instead of in the one closest to Mar-a-lago. Keep an eye out for any strained rulings coming from this.
Jeezus. Talk about The Fix Is In.
Here are some red flags that lawyers look for in potential clients:
1. Doesn’t pay their bills.
2. Has unrealistic expectations and demands.
3. Doesn’t follow advice.
4. Will put you in ethically dicey situations.
5. Will cost you the respect of judges, fellow lawyers, current and potential employees, other clients.
It’s rare that someone manages to hit all five, but in this respect Trump is an overachiever.
Does “Is a flaming asshole who is a nightmare to work with” come into it at all?
Well, yeah, that’s sort of implied by 1-5.
If a client is just a bit of a jerk in terms of being rude to his lawyers, well, it’s not pleasant but we tend to have thick skin, and we’re used to clients being under stress and not on their best behavior. (In his case, of course, that’s normal behavior.) So that by itself is usually not a big factor, though of course it depends on how much the firm needs the business!
I know it’s implied by 1-5, I just wanted to underline because of the special quality of his personal awfulness. I almost added the thing I’ve mentioned before, probably more than once: I know someone who knows someone who was placed next to Trump at a business dinner once & hated every second of it.
OB:
I hate to have to be the one who tells you this, but I’m afraid that admission puts you into the official Trump Contamination Zone, whereby you are unfortunately and irreversibly tainted for life.
;-)
And people say there is no hell.