Donald Trumpβs presidential campaign has been ordered to pay $1.3 million in legal fees to Omarosa Manigault Newman, reported CNBC News. The campaign sued Manigault Newman over contents in her book detailing her time working with Trump. Specifically, they made a fuss about her exposing Trump for being racist (like we ainβt know already). However, the confidentiality agreement she signed while working on Trumpβs campaign was ruled to be invalid under New York law.
In 2018, the campaign filed a complaint with the American Arbitration Association alleging Newman violated her NDA in her book, βUnhinged: An Insiderβs Account of the Trump White House.β Per CNBC, she detailed her experience as a White House advisor and the moments leading up to her being fired by former chief of staff John Kelly. Manigault Newman also accused Trump of using the N-word as he filmed his reality show, βThe Apprentice.β
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As expected, the Trump administration said her book was filled with lies.
More on the case from CNBC:
βHowever, the $1.3 Million pales in comparison to the $3 to $4 million the Trump Campaign paid its own lawyers in order to suppress speech,β Phillips said.
βThatβs a lot of donations which went to lawyers in the name of politics. Itβs truly shameful. We look forward to receiving a check and will donate a portion of the proceeds to groups who stand up to the suppression of speech.β
The arbitrator found the NDA was βoverbroad, indefinite and unreasonable,β per CNN. They also blocked several of the Trump campaignβs objections to Manigault Newmanβs initial $3.4 million fee request. Still, lawyer John Phillips said the decision on $1.3 million was the βlargest known attorney feeβ against a political campaign let alone a president, via CNBC.
Manigault Newman took to Twitter to celebrate the arbitratorβs decision.
βFirst year law student vs. #45βs entire legal team. (David vs. Goliath)β¦ Now pardon me as I get back to studying for my Contract Law final exam,β she tweeted.
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