On Wednesday, New York Time's Maggie Haberman and Nicholas Fandos detailed an old tactic that President Donald Trump is relying on.
They outlined that while in the business world Trump relied on countersuing individuals in order to stonewall cases.
"In 1973, when Donald J. Trump’s real estate firm faced a potentially existential threat from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s accusations of discriminatory practices, his lawyer, Roy Cohn, filed a countersuit against the government, accusing the agency of defamation," the report started off.
Adding, "The gambit, announced at a news conference, helped Mr. Trump, then 27, slow down the HUD legal action, buy time and eventually claim a victory when, two years later, he signed a consent agreement with no admission of guilt."
They explained that Trump would use this tactic to his advantage.
"The president has used that approach ever since, suing governments, banks, former employees and former business partners — even when there appeared to be no grounds — if he thought it would give him some tactical advantage," they wrote.
However, with a Democratic majority, Trump and his team are trying to use the same strategy to stonewall multiple investigations into the president.
The report went on to say, "Now, as the Democrat-controlled House tries to pry open the financial records of Mr. Trump and his businesses, lawmakers are finding themselves up against the same familiar tactics, along with a bevy of other actions from the Trump administration meant to halt their work."
"The congressional committees are only the latest targets Mr. Trump has sued, countersued or threatened to sue. They include former and current friends, like the casino magnate Steve Wynn; media figures and news outlets; the National Football League; and former employees of his campaign or the White House," they wrote.
"Even if the lawsuits are unlikely to succeed in court, they believe, they may still succeed in the meantime in discouraging the cooperation of congressional witnesses and strengthening the president’s resistance," he explained.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) who is fighting to get Trump's tax returns released said that even with his tactics the game is not over.
“He may file the lawsuit,” Waters said, “but that is not the end of this game.”
Read the full report here.
