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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"I've Watched Trump Testify Under Oath. It Isn't Pretty."
In a 2007 deposition in my libel case (which he lost), he was underprepared and overconfident. - By Timothy L. O'Brienhttps://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-01-25/i-ve-watched-trump-testify-under-oath-it-isn-t-pretty
Speaking from experience, I think the president's attorneys should grab their worry beads. Trump sued me for libel in 2006 for a biography I wrote, "TrumpNation," alleging that the book misrepresented his business record and understated his wealth. Trump lost the suit in 2011, but during the litigation my lawyers deposed him under oath for two days in 2007. We had the opportunity to ask Trump about his business and banking practices, his taxes, his personal finances and his professional relationships.
Trump's attorney then was Marc Kasowitz, who also briefly represented the president when the Justice Department investigation first got rolling in Washington. My attorney was Mary Jo White, a former federal prosecutor steeped in many of the same legal traditions and courtroom experiences as Mueller. It didn't go well for the future president.
Hammered by White and her deputies, Trump ultimately had to admit 30 times that he had lied over the years about all sorts of stuff: how much of a big Manhattan real estate project he owned; the price of one of his golf club memberships; the size of the Trump Organization; his wealth; his speaking fees; how many condos he had sold; his debts, and whether he borrowed money from his family to avoid going personally bankrupt. He also lied during the deposition about his business dealings with career criminals.
Trump's poor performance stemmed in part from the fact that he was being interrogated by shrewd attorneys wielding his own business and financial records against him. But there were lots of other things that went wrong as well.
Trump is impatient and has never been an avid or dedicated reader. Thats OK if youd rather play golf, but its not OK when you need to absorb abundant or complex details. Lawyers typically prepare binders full of documents for their clients to pore over prior to a deposition, hoping to steel them for an intense grilling. My lawyers did that prior to my own deposition in the Trump lawsuit. But Trump didnt appear to be well prepared when we deposed him, a weakness that my lawyers exploited (and that Mueller surely would as well).
Trump, for example, had submitted a document to the court from his accountant outlining his assets and liabilities. He was proud of the documents glowing conclusions but hadnt seemed to have read most of it prior to sitting down with my lawyers including a section that said that the report wasnt a reliable gauge of his wealth. Trump seemed surprised when my lawyers pointed that out.
Trump also has a well-known inability to stick to the facts and a tendency to dissemble and improvise. While under oath, hell try to avoid saying that hes lied in the past until hes presented with documentation proving otherwise.
Stuart G
(38,365 posts)And that was 10 years ago. Because of his pal "Putin" he now thinks he is above the law.
I do not think that Mr. Mueller will appreciate an attitude of someone who thinks "he is above the law."
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)On his mood!
He made that stupid statement after trying to bullshit on a question of his total wealth, kept getting pinned down and finally, with a straight face, came up with that.
He also tried to get out of reading things the lawyers asked him to read, by saying he had left his glasses at home. We have never seen him use glasses.
there is an actual video of that deposition floating around the web, I think I got it off YouTube. Given where we are now, it is very instructive.
He is a bullshit artist and rarely in a public setting has been pinned down like he was in this and other depositions.
The startling part of watching the deposition is how easily he lies in sentence after sentence, even when the first lie conflicts with a
subsequent lie, he just keeps talking and moving on, with no sign of shame. Very disquieting. I have known a few good bullshitters in my day, he really is in a class of his own.
Mueller is gonna have a field day, I hope he records it.
SergeStorms
(18,907 posts)has to have an incredible memory, something Trump seems to lack. I think he'll be found out to be a horrible bullshitter. I believe he'll contradict himself constantly, perjure himself frequently, and reveal to Mueller & Co. what a pitiful piece of crap he truly is. Trump is full of false bravado at the moment, thinking himself to be above the law. He truly doesn't understand what the Office of President entails. He thinks himself to be invincible, untouchable, and the smartest man in the room, whatever room he happens to be in.
Never has one human being been so mistaken in their own personal assessment. "This above all, to thine own self be true". William Shakespeare's words from 'Hamlet' are a concept which every person in existence should be acquainted with. Trump has no idea what those words mean. Honestly examining his own life would never occur to Trump. That would be something "losers" do, in his opinion.
Trump will hang himself with his own rope. None will have to be provided.
Maraya1969
(22,441 posts)Wait until he tries to pull that with Mueller. Or better yet in his trial
xxqqqzme
(14,887 posts)head, opens his eyes wide and his massive ego, I figured he wore contacts.
Maraya1969
(22,441 posts)bullshit though, just like his height, weight and how "sharp" (great cognitive skills) he is
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)The eye doc says it is not uncommon for one's eyesight to change as get older, sometimes with good effect.
Still need glasses for long distance.
So tis possible he can read without them, and he seems to see teleprompter without them.
Might have used surgery to correct his vision.
Point being that he and the doctor are not honest about his health, so I simply refuse to believe anything they say.
cannabis_flower
(3,764 posts)but you can have very good distance vision and still be unable to read something that is close to you. It's called being far sighted, it's usually something that you get as you get older. I've been able to avoid it but my husband has very good far sight but can't read things without reading glasses.
Botany
(70,294 posts)Trump w/NBC's Lester Holt count the # of lies.
joshdawg
(2,638 posts)I'm shocked, shocked, I tell ya.
Wow, a republican who lies. Who'da thunk it?
In case it's needed
Guy Whitey Corngood
(26,483 posts)Leghorn21
(13,520 posts)Ha ha ha, LOVE DIS!! Thanks, fleur🌼!
SeattleVet
(5,468 posts)It would be the most beautiful testimony we've ever seen. He's make the biggest gaffes, tell the YUGEST(!!!) lies, and weave a tapestry of falsehoods that would linger over Washington, DC for generations to come as a warning to all - 'Don't be such a narcissistic asshole!'
+1
erronis
(14,955 posts)This Will Be Televised.
One way or the other we'll be able to watch the perps slowly cooked in their own juices.
Of course, just like all good US citizens, we hope there is no collateral damage. No besmirching of the Ivanka brand, no onus placed on all of dumps children (legit or otherwise), no penalties against those that have already been shafted by trump/uglicans, etc.
pangaia
(24,324 posts)Gabi Hayes
(28,795 posts)WTF was up with that?
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)Attorneys who have represented Trump in the past have testified at deposition that they learned not to meet with Trump one-on-one. They always had at least one other attorney in any meeting with Trump because Trump couldn't be relied on to tell the truth or to follow through on things he said he'd do.
When your own attorneys say . . .
dlk
(11,439 posts)Lucinda
(31,170 posts)keithbvadu2
(36,371 posts)Under Oath? Not a problem for Donald
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Trump started his time in office by lying before God with his hand on the Bible.
He swore to uphold the Constitution and immediately broke that oath.
Old Vet
(2,001 posts)SeattleVet
(5,468 posts)it *does* state, 'to the best of my ability'.
That's his loophole.
He has absolutely NO ability whatsoever, so we can't hold him accountable for lying when taking the oath of office.
keithbvadu2
(36,371 posts)Marie Marie
(9,999 posts)fleur-de-lisa
(14,616 posts)Put that shit on pay-per-view please. Make a killing!
Saviolo
(3,270 posts)He's so convinced of his own superiority that he feels like he can just so easily trick and fool the people around him, even under oath. It gives him a deep and abiding well of confidence, even in the face of those clearly outmatching him in intellect. That confidence that he can just get away with anything because he's just so damn smart is probably also his biggest weakness, because it'll cause him to double down, make big false claims thinking that no one will have the brains to call him out on them, and lie demonstrably under oath.
This should be fun! Oh to be a fly on the wall to watch a deeply and intensely prepared Mueller vs. falsely confident President Dunning-Kruger.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Every time he opens his mouth and something resembling speech spews from it, I experience intense physical pain. And perhaps it is contagious because my husband has the same reaction.
It's a reaction we haven't felt since we tried to watch the movie Swordfish in a theater. The pain was so intense that we had to walk--no, run--out in the middle; similarly whenever the cheetoh appears on our TV screen there is a mad scramble to find the remote before the excruciating, explosive diarrhea begins to spew from his vocal orifice.
Just in case:
BigmanPigman
(51,432 posts)I was worried though that due to the shear number of lawsuits, which he had started and testified at, that he has a lot of experience. However he is older, crazier, and under stress so that is a difference from his past experiences.
I hope that Jared and the moron's spawn, who are also overly confident and feel superior and above it all, get blown away by Mueller's team. I wonder when Mueller is going to interview them, or maybe he already has and we don't know about it yet.
OnDoutside
(19,908 posts)going into an interview of Trump.
Sophia4
(3,515 posts)Brainfodder
(6,423 posts)Double meanings, got to love them.
Trump it occurred to me is just saying stuff on camera for the fake news to clip it and play them and only them on repeat to make their sick lazy audience angry, because that drives them to vote.
If Rupert has U.S. citizenship, but I doubt it, I'd want him arrested and executed for treason, the case should be long bulletproof.
Alas no one asked me.
ancianita
(35,816 posts)Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)Saw female attorney on tv talking about how he is during depositions. She said he loses his cool, raises his voice, and it all works...everyone in the room was afraid of him, she said.
Another time he was cool and collected & just answered questions.
It's possible he reacts harshly if he gets cornered. Bwahahahaha.
spike jones
(1,656 posts)I have heard that the word testify originated from men of old in the Bible and in Roman times, having to hold their testicles while witnessing in court. So, Trump may soon have to grab his own crotch.
Vinca
(50,172 posts)trof
(54,255 posts)"Oh, I forgot my glasses. I can't read that."
Yeah, right.
And the dog ate my homework.
What a slimy bastid.
BSdetect
(8,989 posts)OMGWTF
(3,901 posts)Gothmog
(144,005 posts)BobTheSubgenius
(11,535 posts)I just don't think his bosses will let him go into a hearing that vastly unprepared. I mean, I HOPE no one can dictate common sense to him, and I'm sure that his very best efforts would fall far short of their needs or wants....but they will have to try.
At the VERY least, try to mitigate the damage. I am counting on him being as intransigent, and arrogant as ever.
yonder
(9,631 posts)can his attorneys still insist all questions be prepared and agreed to beforehand? Or does testifying, by definition, only mean direct, in the moment, questioning and answering? I hope its the latter, but I don't know.
dalton99a
(81,091 posts)DoctorJoJo
(1,134 posts)Grammy23
(5,808 posts)when he is interrogated by Mueller have been listed and discussed here. And it is certain he will be interviewed. Maybe he will plead the Fifth and avoid answering anything but that takes him where hed rather not go. Put him under oath and the drunkards path of disjointed, convoluted and contradictory answers are a certainty. He knows no other way to be. He may try to weasel out of the whole messy affair by digging in his heels and refusing to play ball. But that is also a nonstarter. Mueller holds all the cards in this game.
I think in the end he will meet with Mueller but at great disadvantage. His massive ego will make him over confident and unwilling to study up on anything his lawyers recommend. His go to strategy will be bluff and bluster. Mueller eats that stuff for breakfast. And his biggest disadvantage is he has no idea how much Mueller actually knows of his crimes and sins. So there could be land mines sprinkled throughout the landscape and he is too pigheaded and temperamental to recognize them.
I hope the interview is soon. Things are happening so thick and fast, we dont seem to know from one day to the next what will be revealed. I want to know how this all ends and I want to know the whole story, not just bits and pieces. We deserve to know after all weve been through with tRump and his cabal.
Cha
(295,929 posts)And, Timothy L O'Brien!
milestogo
(16,829 posts)NoMoreRepugs
(9,260 posts)know he knows will be the best part of the process if it comes to pass that he meets with Mueller. My fervent hope is that it turns out obstruction of justice is far from the most serious charge he may face. To me the fate of the nation hangs in the balance.
fescuerescue
(4,448 posts)They are flat out nuts.
Hell I wouldn't do it and I'm nobody.