Donald Trump’s latest move against E. Jean Carroll shows how desperate – and how broke – he is

| 11:30 pm EDT September 8, 2020
Dear Palmer Report readers,

We all understand what a dark era we're heading into. Journalists will be prosecuted. Major media outlets are caving to Trump already. Even the internet itself and publishing platforms may be at risk. Advertising networks can't be counted on. But Palmer Report is nonetheless going to lead the fight, because someone has to.

In that regard we're looking to start funding our 2025 operating expenses now, so we can keep publishing no matter what happens or how dark things get. We've launched a reader supported fund, and we've already raised $2097 and counting. I'm asking you to contribute if you can, because the stakes are just so high. You can contribute here. Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
Bill Palmer
Palmer Report

Among numerous other legal troubles, Donald Trump has been trying to fend off a defamation suit from E. Jean Carroll, who says that Trump raped her. Carroll has made progress with her case, to the point that she’s won a court order for Trump’s DNA. Now Trump is suddenly having the Department of Justice take over his defense in the case, even though it’s a civil suit. So what’s going on?

Last night the New York Times broke the story of how Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign is flat broke. This morning Trump publicly said he’s considering investing $100 million of his own money into the campaign, which is surreal, considering the debt-laden Trump would never have that kind of money on hand. This means Trump is going to be scrambling to try to funnel whatever money he can get his hands on into his campaign, for fear that he’ll lose the election and then go to prison.

Now, less than a day later, Trump is offloading his defense in the Carroll case to the DOJ. It’s not difficult to parse that Trump is doing this because he no longer thinks he can afford to pay his legal bills in the Carroll case, nor can he have his flat broke campaign pay his legal bills.

Some observers think Donald Trump is doing this because he thinks Bill Barr can use the DOJ to magically win the case against E. Jean Carroll. But let’s be real here. Barr failed to get the case against Michael Flynn thrown out. Barr failed to get Roger Stone’s sentence reduced. Barr failed to keep Michael Cohen in prison. Barr failed to stop the arrests of Lev, Igor, and Steve Bannon. Bill Barr is a middling bumbler who probably won’t be able to help Trump against Carroll either. This is about Trump being broke, and wanting the DOJ to foot his legal bills.

Dear Palmer Report readers,

We all understand what a dark era we're heading into. Journalists will be prosecuted. Major media outlets are caving to Trump already. Even the internet itself and publishing platforms may be at risk. Advertising networks can't be counted on. But Palmer Report is nonetheless going to lead the fight, because someone has to.

In that regard we're looking to start funding our 2025 operating expenses now, so we can keep publishing no matter what happens or how dark things get. We've launched a reader supported fund, and we've already raised $2097 and counting. I'm asking you to contribute if you can, because the stakes are just so high. You can contribute here. Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
Bill Palmer
Palmer Report