'Trump's ego' is blocking a plea deal – but that will change: ex-DOJ prosecutor
The lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James accusing Donald Trump and his business empire of financial fraud has gotten somewhat less attention than his criminal cases, likely due to the fact that it will not result in a criminal conviction or a prison sentence – but that changed after when New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron ruled the evidence of fraud was so strong that a full trial was not necessary.
According to Salon's Chauncey Devega, if that ruling – passed down last week in a partial summary judgment – stands, "Trump will likely lose control of many of his most high-profile businesses. As a practical matter, his supposedly successful real estate empire may well lie in ruins."
If Trump does lose control of his businesses, it will likely cause him to "suffer a severe narcissistic injury," which will make his behavior even more unpredictable, Salon reported.
Devega spoke with former Justice Department prosecutor Kenneth Foard McCallion, who said that Trump should have been brought to justice sooner, "but better late than never."
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McCallion says that some of Trump's lawyers were fired after they tried to convey the gravity of the trouble he's in. "Trump is basically now surrounded by a collection of legal sycophants who are telling him what he wants to hear so that they can continue to stay on this high-profile legal team," McCallion says.
"He must have some awareness of the serious legal predicament he is in at this point, but he has to try to maintain a tough public facade for as long as he can," McCallion continued. "Trump will hold out until the last possible moment and then he will take a plea deal or some other arrangement with the prosecution."
"But at this point, Trump's ego won't let him do it — at least for another six months or so."
Read the full article over at Salon.
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