Plaintiff in Chief: A Portrait of Donald Trump in 3,500 Lawsuits (2019)

by James D. Zirin

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Biography & Autobiography. Law. Politics. Nonfiction. HTML: A comprehensive analysis of Donald Trump's legal history reveals his temperament, methods, character, and morality. Unlike all previous presidents who held distinguished positions in government or the military prior to entering office, Donald Trump's political worldview was molded in the courtroom. He sees law not as a system of rules to be obeyed and ethical ideals to be respected, but as a weapon to be used against his adversaries or a hurdle to be sidestepped when it gets in his way. He has weaponized the justice system throughout his career, and he has continued to use these backhanded tactics as Plaintiff in Chief. In this audiobook, distinguished New York attorney James D. Zirin presents Trump's lengthy litigation history as an indication of his character and morality, and his findings are chilling: if you partner with Donald Trump, you will probably wind up litigating with him. If you enroll in his university or buy one of his apartments, chances are you will want your money back. If you are a woman and you get too close to him, you may need to watch your back. If you try to sue him, he's likely to defame you. If you make a deal with him, you had better get it in writing. If you are a lawyer, an architect, or even his dentist, you'd better get paid up front. If you venture an opinion that publicly criticizes him, you may be sued for libel. A window into the president's dark legal history, Plaintiff in Chief is as informative as it is disturbing. .… (more)

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Well, all the above are true. If, at all, you've been wondering whether Trump is reality or bad dream or whether he possibly might not be, if his audacity and unabashed obnoxiousness are in fact brilliantly calculated political "genius" perhaps disguising boundless benevolence for downtrodden and meritorious alike, you can rest assured. This beautifully detailed, thoroughly cited and researched work and account, documents that he has always been like he is, abusive, duplicitous and damaging to individual and institution alike. His basic tactic throughout his business life, right from youth, has been to disinform and hobble anyone or anything preventing his personal gain. From racist slum-landlord to casino-owning mafia-hobnobbing to misogynist sex-pageant host to online education and charity conman, he's not above anything (and that's only what we know for sure!). He treats foreign powers, from large to small dictatorships, to his largesse (renting floors of his buildings at inflated prices) in exchange for kickbacks and concessions.

Reading this book (though not many people do that anymore) will reassure you that, in spite of the fact that so large of a minority support him wholeheartedly, its not just your imagination. At the same time you will feel a darker foreboding that forces perhaps even beyond Donald's understanding have been unleashed. (

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brianfergusonwpg | Jan 19, 2020 |

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
James D. Zirin	—	primary author	all editions	calculated
Bush, Jonathan	Cover designer	secondary author	some editions	confirmed
Rosenthal, Maura Fadden	Designer	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

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People/Characters

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New York, New York, USA

Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

Washington, D.C., USA

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Donald Trump presidency (2017-2021)

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To Marlene

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There is nothing wrong with wanting to win -- most of us want to. What distinguishes Trump is that he lives in an alternate universe. He claims he has won even when he has lost. He insists he has persevered even when he has given up. He insists he has fought even when he has surrendered. And, he will tell any lie that suits his purpose. His word is meaningless; his claims are hyperbolic; his threats are hollow; his instinct for recrimination is out of control; and he will challenge the incontestable. (Prologue, p. xi)

[Sam Zell] "I looked at him and I said, 'Donald, you've sued every partner you've ever had. Why would I want to be your partner in anything?'" (Chapter 2, p. 44)

A look at Trump's considerable "litigation for lunch," history, I found, furnished chilling clues to his character. I quickly realized that with him, as with so many things, the past is prologue and his 3,500 or more lawsuits furnished an accurate prediction as to how he would react in office. He has not disappointed, and it has not been a pretty picture. (Acknowledgements, p.[237])

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Biography & Autobiography. Law. Politics. Nonfiction. HTML:

A comprehensive analysis of Donald Trump's legal history reveals his temperament, methods, character, and morality.

Unlike all previous presidents who held distinguished positions in government or the military prior to entering office, Donald Trump's political worldview was molded in the courtroom. He sees law not as a system of rules to be obeyed and ethical ideals to be respected, but as a weapon to be used against his adversaries or a hurdle to be sidestepped when it gets in his way. He has weaponized the justice system throughout his career, and he has continued to use these backhanded tactics as Plaintiff in Chief.

In this audiobook, distinguished New York attorney James D. Zirin presents Trump's lengthy litigation history as an indication of his character and morality, and his findings are chilling: if you partner with Donald Trump, you will probably wind up litigating with him. If you enroll in his university or buy one of his apartments, chances are you will want your money back. If you are a woman and you get too close to him, you may need to watch your back. If you try to sue him, he's likely to defame you. If you make a deal with him, you had better get it in writing. If you are a lawyer, an architect, or even his dentist, you'd better get paid up front. If you venture an opinion that publicly criticizes him, you may be sued for libel.

A window into the president's dark legal history, Plaintiff in Chief is as informative as it is disturbing.

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Contents:

The first lawsuit : how Trump was baptized in litigation -- Trump takes Manhattan : the voyage across the East River -- Atlantic City takes Trump : how Trump bankrupted his casino empire and emerged with millions -- Litigation for lunch : how Trump used the lawsuit to preserve and protect his brand -- Empty threats : how Trump used the threat of litigation to intimidate his foes -- Trump and the mob : Trump's ties to the mafia -- Trump and his women : Trump's misogyny -- The professor of fraud : Trump University and other frauds -- The closing bell : life in the president's litigation bunker.

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