Trump ordered to testify in assault trial stemming from 2015 clash between bodyguard and protesters
Galicia and four other protesters filed a civil suit in 2017 and that case is still moving forward. Yesterday, Justice Doris Gonzalez of the Bronx Supreme Court ruled Donald Trump must give a video deposition in the case, calling his testimony “indispensable” because the protesters are claiming Schiller acted on orders from Donald Trump. More from the The Washington Post:
The protesters argue Trump, his campaign and business should be held liable for the actions of security guards who were working for the company. They say, even if Trump didn’t directly order the guards to act, he had control over their actions because they were his employees and his campaign trail rhetoric gave them the impression that violence would be condoned.
Just before the assault, Trump’s bodyguards were seen ushering the protesters away, falsely telling them the sidewalk was private property.
The rally took place about a week after Schiller forcibly removed Univision anchor Jorge Ramos from a crowded news conference. In news footage of the incident, Trump appeared to catch Schiller’s eye before the security chief moved toward the reporter.
Justice Gonzalez noted that the Supreme Court ruled in 1997 that presidents did not have temporary immunity for acts that were done before taking office and were not related to their official duties.
In that matter, a federal civil lawsuit by Paula Jones against President Bill Clinton, Mr. Clinton ultimately submitted to a deposition, but the case never went to trial.
Friday’s ruling also pointed to one from a New York appeals court in March that rejected a claim by Mr. Trump’s legal team that, as president, he was immune from state lawsuits under the Cons ution.
That ruling has permitted a defamation suit — from a former contestant on “The Apprentice” whom Mr. Trump called a liar after she accused him of groping her — to proceed.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/9/21/1886942/-Trump-ordered-to-testify-in-assault-trial-stemming-from-2015-clash-between-bodyguard-and-protesters?detail=emaildksp