Unraveling Trump's Expanding Web of Legal Troubles

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Try to keep track of the galaxy of former President Donald Trumps legal problems.

In New York, a judge will listen to Trump's sworn explanation on Monday as he takes the witness stand to address his company's alleged inflation of asset values during his loan application process.

In Colorado, as the judge deliberates on whether Trump should be disqualified from the 2024 presidential ballot over his alleged involvement in the January 6, 2021 insurrection, rally organizers testified in court this past week.

A limited gag order placed on the former president by the judge overseeing his upcoming federal election subversion trial was temporarily frozen by a federal appeals court in Washington, DC.

The federal judge in Florida, who is presiding over the federal criminal trial against Trump regarding his mishandling of classified material, including its storage in a bathroom at his Mar-a-Lago resort, indicated a possible postponement. The reason being the challenge for his lawyers to manage the multiple ongoing legal proceedings.

Trump maintains his innocence in all legal matters and has entered a not guilty plea in all criminal cases. These cases pertain not only to his endeavors to retain the presidency by challenging the outcome of the 2020 election and his handling of classified information post-presidency but also encompass a potential hush-money scheme that might have contributed to his victory in the 2016 presidential election. He claims to be a victim of a "witch hunt" and asserts that the diverse legal actions are instances of election interference aimed at preventing him from assuming office. However, each trial presents a unique narrative to explore.

Has a former president ever given testimony in his own civil trial?

Here is an up-to-date compilation of the latest advancements in Trump's intricate array of legal proceedings, commencing with a brief historical reference to ex-presidents testifying in their own defense.

On Monday, when Trump appears in his New York civil fraud trial, it won't be unprecedented for a former president to testify in his own defense in a lawsuit. Teddy Roosevelt set this precedent over a century ago, when he took the stand on two occasions. The first time was in a lawsuit against a Michigan newspaper that falsely accused him of being a drunk. The second instance was when he was sued by a fellow New York Republican, whom Roosevelt had labelled as a corrupt political boss.

Roosevelt emerged victorious in both trials. In sharp contrast, Trump has already been held accountable for fraud by a judge in New York.

These high-profile Roosevelt trials, occurring two years apart, captivated the public's attention. They followed Roosevelt's final bid for the presidency, where he finished as a runner-up to Democrat Woodrow Wilson in the 1912 election. This came after Roosevelt's split from the Republican Party, as he ran as a Progressive candidate.

Former President Teddy Roosevelt, seen here in the courtroom during the Barnes v. Roosevelt libel trial, testified for eight days.

Doris A. and Lawrence H. Budner Theodore Roosevelt Collection, DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University

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Testimony concerning Roosevelt's personal habits in the trial of his libel suit against the newspapers publisher.

Library of Congress

New York state civil court: $250 million fraud case

Trump, however, remains active in the political arena, and his legal strategy in various civil and criminal cases is intertwined with his ongoing presidential campaign. He asserts that two restraining orders, one imposed by a federal judge in Washington, DC, and another by the judge presiding over the civil trial in New York, impede his ability to communicate as a candidate.

Unlike Trump's criminal indictments, the civil fraud trial does not pose the risk of a felony conviction and imprisonment. However, it could potentially result in the loss of some of Trump's highly valued assets, such as Trump Tower. New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a $250 million lawsuit in September 2022, claiming that Trump and his co-defendants engaged in repeated fraud by inflating assets on financial statements in order to secure more favorable terms for commercial real estate loans and insurance policies.

Judge Arthur Engoron has previously determined that Trump and his adult sons engaged in fraudulent behavior by inflating the value of their golf courses, hotels, and residences on financial documents in order to obtain loans.

During their testimony, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump tried to shift responsibility onto the accountants for the exaggerated valuation of the company's assets. Ivanka Trump's request to postpone her upcoming testimony was denied by a higher court in New York, as she expressed her reluctance to leave Florida and travel to New York while her children are attending school.

The purpose of the trial phase is to determine the extent of the damages imposed on Trump and to observe the unfolding consequences of Engorons decision to revoke Trump's New York business licenses. Alongside the prominent testimony provided by members of the Trump family, the judge has imposed a gag order on the former president. This gag order was extended to his attorneys on Friday, following Trump's criticism of a court clerk.

Insurrection clause cases

The government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has filed a case on behalf of six Colorado voters, seeking to disqualify Trump from both the primary and general election ballots in Colorado. Their argument is based on the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which bans insurrection, claiming that Trump instigated the attack on January 6, 2021. Over the past week, a judge in Colorado has heard detailed testimony from legal scholars, organizers of the January 6 rally, Capitol Police officers, and House lawmakers. Closing arguments are anticipated in late November.

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Judge Sarah B. Wallace presides over a hearing for a lawsuit that seeks to keep Trump off the state ballot in Denver on October 30.

Jack Dempsey/AP

Meanwhile, judges on Minnesotas Supreme Court appeared skeptical of similar arguments in a separate case that held a hearing this past week.

Federal civil court in New York: E. Jean Carroll defamation lawsuit

In May, a federal jury in Manhattan determined that Trump had engaged in sexual abuse against E. Jean Carroll, a former advice columnist, within the confines of a high-end department store dressing room during the mid-1990s, subsequently granting her a sum of approximately $5 million in damages.

The civil defamation lawsuit will solely determine the monetary amount Trump must pay her. This case is scheduled for January 15, coinciding with the Iowa Republicans' caucuses, the first event in the presidential primary calendar. Trump maintains that, being a former president, he should be granted some immunity from this lawsuit.

Federal criminal court in DC: 2020 election interference

Trump faced legal charges when a federal grand jury, led by special counsel Jack Smith, indicted him in August for his involvement in the aftermath of the 2020 election. In a Washington, DC courtroom, the former president was arraigned and entered a plea of not guilty.

The case is partially centered around a plan to form fraudulent groups of electors in pivotal states that were won by President Joe Biden.

Towards the end of September, Judge Tanya Chutkan denied Trump's plea for her to step down from the case. Chutkan, who was chosen by Barack Obama, has presided over both civil and criminal proceedings linked to the insurrection that took place on January 6, 2021. Additionally, she has consistently imposed longer prison terms on convicted rioters than what the prosecutors have advised.

Chutkan has scheduled the start of the trial for March 4, just prior to Super Tuesday, which is when the most significant number of presidential primaries will take place. This trial will be the first among Trump's criminal cases that are expected to move forward.

Trump has requested a federal appeals court to temporarily halt Chutkan's gag order, which currently prevents him from discussing the case. He has also expressed his intention to pursue this matter to the Supreme Court. In response, the appeals court has temporarily suspended the gag order while it reviews the request.

There are several additional matters to address before March, such as Trump's desire to have the case thrown out. He argues that his actions in late 2020 and early 2021, which are under scrutiny, were part of his presidential duties and afford him immunity from prosecution. Chutkan has not responded to this request yet.

New York criminal court: Hush-money payments

Trump is facing 34 felony charges in Manhattan criminal court for modifying business records in connection to a hush-money payment scheme during the end of the 2016 presidential campaign involving adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. In April, during his arraignment in Manhattan, the former president pleaded not guilty.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the prosecutors accuse Trump of falsifying business records to hide $130,000 in payments to Daniels, which were orchestrated by his former attorney and fixer Michael Cohen, aiming to ensure her silence about an alleged affair. Despite these accusations, Trump vehemently denies any involvement in an affair with Daniels.

The trial was originally scheduled to begin in late March 2024, but Judge Juan Merchan has suggested the date could move. The next court date is scheduled for February.

Georgia criminal court: Efforts to overturn election results

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is pressing charges of racketeering against Trump and 18 individuals for their involvement in a widespread criminal conspiracy aimed at overturning Biden's victory in Georgia. The investigation was initiated in 2021 after Trump's conversation in January with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, during which the president unlawfully urged the Republican official to manipulate the election results by "finding" votes.

The August indictment additionally presents allegations of Trump's team deceiving state officials in Georgia, orchestrating counterfeit electors, intimidating an election worker, and tampering with election equipment in rural Coffee County, Georgia.

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Jenna Ellis reacts after pleading guilty to a felony count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings on October 24 in Atlanta.

John Bazemore/Pool/Getty Images

Four out of the 18 individuals implicated alongside Trump have recently admitted their guilt, managing to evade imprisonment while agreeing to provide testimony at a later stage of the trial. The significance of these pleas lies in the fact that three ex-Trump lawyers, namely Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, and Kenneth Chesebro, are among those who made these admissions, potentially transforming their previous affiliation with Trump into a hostile relationship.

Federal criminal court in Florida: Mishandling classified material

Ellis tearfully confessed her wrongdoing during a court hearing in October, admitting her involvement in spreading false information about the election. Powell attended crucial White House meetings leading up to the insurrection on January 6, 2021. Chesebro played a role in organizing groups of counterfeit electors that were orchestrated by Trump's campaign in an attempt to overturn the election results.

Trump has entered a plea of not guilty to 37 federal charges filed by Smith regarding his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Smith has further included three additional charges in an updated indictment.

The investigation focuses on confidential documents that Trump took to his Florida residence at Mar-a-Lago following the conclusion of his tenure at the White House in January 2021.

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A photo released by the Department of Justice shows boxes of documents stored in a bathroom at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida in early 2021.

The National Archives, responsible for gathering and organizing presidential material, has previously reported that they retrieved a minimum of 15 boxes of White House records from Mar-a-Lago, which included a portion of classified records.

Trump was recorded during a meeting in Bedminster, New Jersey in 2021, where he discussed withholding undisclosed documents that were not authorized for declassification. Smith's additional allegations claim that Trump and his staff tried to erase Mar-a-Lago security footage, which was being sought by the grand jury investigating the mishandling of the records.

The trial is not expected until May, after most presidential primaries have concluded, although the judge in the case has suggested she could delay things.

There are other cases to note:

Trump Organization: Convicted of criminal tax fraud

In December, the Trump Organization, Donald Trump's namesake business, was found guilty by a New York jury of committing tax fraud, grand larceny, and falsifying business records. Prosecutors alleged that this illegal activity spanned 15 years and involved a scheme to defraud tax authorities by withholding the reporting and payment of taxes on employee compensation.

Former Chief Financial Officer of the Trump Organization, Allen Weisselberg, has admitted guilt in relation to the tax scheme and subsequently served a four-month sentence at Rikers Island. During the New York civil fraud trial in October, Weisselberg provided testimony, although his recollection of the financial statements central to the trial was limited.

January 6: Lawsuits by police officers

Several members of the US Capitol Police and Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police are suing Trump, saying his words and actions incited the 2021 riot.

The lawsuits against Trump include allegations of him directly ordering assault and battery, assisting and encouraging assault and battery, as well as violating Washington laws that prohibit inciting riots and disorderly conduct. Certain lawsuits have been temporarily suspended as a federal appeals court assesses whether Trump enjoyed complete immunity as the president at the time.

Personal retaliation: Peter Strzok lawsuit

Peter Strzok, the former top FBI counterintelligence official, has filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department, claiming that his termination in 2018 was unjust due to his expression of criticism towards President Trump in text messages.

Trump sat for a deposition under oath in the lawsuit in October.

Trump victory in Michael Cohens retaliation suit

Trump's ex-lawyer Cohen filed a lawsuit against Trump, former Attorney General William Barr, and other individuals, claiming that they unlawfully returned him to prison in order to hinder his ability to promote his forthcoming book while he was under house arrest.

In November 2022, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit. District Judge Lewis Liman stated that while he understood Cohen's perspective, he was unable to proceed with the case due to Supreme Court precedent.

Cohen, however, recently testified against Trump in the New York civil fraud lawsuit.

Trump-filed lawsuits: The New York Times, Mary Trump and CNN

The former president has filed a lawsuit in New York state court against his niece and The New York Times for revealing his tax information.

A judge in New York has dismissed The New York Times from Trump's lawsuit regarding the disclosure of his tax returns and has ordered Trump to cover the legal fees incurred by the newspaper. However, Trump is still proceeding with his lawsuit against his niece Mary Trump for disclosing the tax documents. Mary Trump had previously attempted to sue him for defrauding her out of millions following the death of his father, but the lawsuit was dismissed.