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☆ Supreme Court blocks ‘Trump too small’ trademark gambit
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Lawrence Hurley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A general view of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, U.S., June 1, 2024. WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday rebuffed a California lawyer's attempt to trademark the phrase "Trump too small," a reference to a crude joke made about former President Donald Trump. Rubio joked about what he said were Trump's small hands, adding: "And you know what they say about guys with small hands." Elster, an employment lawyer and progressive activist, applied to register "Trump too small" — a double-entendre meant to insinuate a correspondingly small penis — with the trademark office in 2018. The case is the latest of several the Supreme Court has taken up recently concerning free speech rights in the trademark context.

Persons: WASHINGTON —, Trump, Donald Trump, Steve Elster, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Sen, Marco Rubio, Rubio, Elster, Trump's, Biden Organizations: U.S, Supreme, WASHINGTON, U.S . Patent, Appeals, Federal Circuit, Trump Locations: Washington , U.S, California, Florida, Asian American

The vast majority — nearly $40 million — went to law firms working on his personal legal problems. But significant portions of their donations went to law firms defending Trump in civil cases involving his real-estate empire and its top executives, including Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump. Only about $861,000 was spent on law firms working exclusively on political issues. Where there were gaps, we contacted law firms and individual lawyers who received money from the PACs. In 2021 and 2022 combined, Trump spent $16 million on legal fees through the Save America PAC.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, —, MAGA, Trump's, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, Stormy Daniels, Jean Carroll, Robert, Clifford S, Michael Cohen, — Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders, Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel, Frederick —, Madaio, Alina Habba, Michael Madaio, Hillary Clinton, James Comey, Mary Trump, general's, Carroll, Trump —, Joe Tacopina, Chad Seigel, Christopher Kise, Jesus M, Suarez, Eli Bartov, Bryan Woolston, Silverman Thompson Slutkin, White, Evan Corcoran, Todd Blanche, Cadwalader, Taft, Blanche, Attorney Alvin Bragg's, Daniels, Susan Necheles, John Lauro, who's, Steven H, Drew Findling, Jennifer Little, Jesse R, it's, Jim, John Rowley, Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, perjured, ArentFox Schiff, Jeff McConney, Stanley Woodward, Stanley Brand, Carlos de Oliveira, John S, Irving of, Boris Epshteyn, Kenneth Chesebro, Troutman Pepper, Ivanka, Newsmax, Harmeet, Dhillon, Bradley T, Morvillo Abramowitz, David Pecker, Elkan Abramowitz, Greenberg Traurig, Ballard Spahr, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Corey Lewandowski, Robert Mueller's, Jones, Andrew Kelly, It's, Forbes, defaming Carroll, he's Organizations: Service, Trump, Save America PAC, Make, Trump Organization, Politico, Reuters, New, Associates, Democratic National Committee, The New York Times, Times, Continental LLP, Inc, AP, Attorney, Capitol, Law, Taft, Brand Woodward Law, Irving of Earth & Water Law, Ivanka Trump, Republican National Committee, Save, MAGA, Curve Solutions, National Enquirer, Republican, MAGA PAC, Bloomberg Locations: New York, Georgia, Carroll, Manhattan, Florida, York, Washington, DC, Wickersham, Attorney Alvin Bragg's Manhattan, Fulton County , Georgia, codefendants, MAGAworld, Robert Mueller's Russia

☆ Donald Trump paid more than $2.3 million in donor money to law firms helping Ivanka Trump with her legal problems last year
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

In 2023, Save America disbursed a total of $1,303,667.11 to the law firm Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders, and $1,042,479 to the firm Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel, & Frederick. AdvertisementBoth firms represented Ivanka Trump in New York Attorney General Letitia James's sprawling lawsuit against the Trump Organization, Donald Trump, his three eldest children, and several executives over its finances. Clifford S. Robert and Michael Farina of Robert & Robert served as their local counsel while also defending Eric Trump and Donald Trump, Jr. in the litigation. Kellogg and Figel withdrew from representing Ivanka Trump the following month as the case moved closer to trial. Ivanka Trump didn't respond to a request for comment.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump, Robert, — Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump, Donald Trump , Jr, Trump, He's, Robert Maguire, Maguire, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders, Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel, Frederick, Ivanka, Letitia James's, Michael K, Kellogg Hansen, Reid M, Clifford S, Michael Farina, Farina, Lev Radin, Troutman Pepper, Bennett S, Moskowitz, Jeffrey Epstein's, Ketan D, Bhirud, Trump's, Arthur Engoron, Jane Rosenberg, wasn't, Moskowitz —, general's, Michael Cohen, Jared Kushner, Amalija Knavs, Robert didn't, It's, Kushner Organizations: Service, Save America PAC, Commission, Business, PAC, Trump Organization, Save, Trump, Citizens, Election Defense Fund, Ivanka Trump, New York, Pacific Press, Getty, Ivanka Trump's, New, Trump's Save America PAC, Court, REUTERS, America, MAGA PAC, Republican Locations: Washington, New, New York, DC, Manhattan, New York City, U.S, Florida, Palm Beach , Florida

☆ Rudy Giuliani's ex-lawyers sue him for the $1.4 million they say he owes for defending him in election interference investigations
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Jack Newsham | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rudy Giuliani's ex-lawyer has filed a lawsuit seeking nearly $1.4 million in unpaid bills. Costello and Giuliani's advisor Ted Goodman didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday evening. One of Trump's PAC has also paid $340,000 to a legal records firm that Giuliani owed money to, records show. In July, a panel of the DC Bar recommended that Giuliani's law license be revoked. Giuliani isn't the only Trump ally to fail to pay legal fees to Costello.

Persons: Rudy Giuliani's, Giuliani, Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Davidoff Hutcher, Citron, Robert Costello, Costello, Jack Smith's, Fani Willis, . Costello, Ted Goodman didn't, Eduardo Munoz Rudy Giuliani's, Trump, it's, Steve Bannon Organizations: Service, US, Office, of, New York City, New York Law, REUTERS, CNN, Trump's PAC, DC Locations: Wall, Silicon, Manhattan, Georgia, Southern, of New York, Bedminster , New Jersey, New York, Mexico

☆ Trump's PAC is doling out millions in legal fees over 2020 election investigations — just not to Rudy Giuliani
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Trump's PAC is helping pay millions in legal fees but is penny-pinching when it comes to Giuliani. Giuliani has more than $3 million in legal fees, but the PAC has only helped with a fraction of that, CNN reported. After that effort fell apart, Trump refused to help Giuliani with the costs associated with it. That reluctance to unburden Giuliani's legal debt now appears unchanged. A Georgia grand jury indicted Trump, Giuliani, and more than a dozen other Trump allies this week for their attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

Persons: Giuliani, Donald Trump's, Rudy Giuliani, Trump Organizations: Trump's PAC, CNN, Trump, New York Times, Service, America, America PAC Locations: Mar, Wall, Silicon, New York City, Georgia, Lago

☆ Trump's PAC is hemorrhaging money on his legal fees while DeSantis' is sitting on nearly $100 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Former President Donald Trump's PAC, Save America, spent $21 million on legal fees this year for Trump and his advisers. The PAC reported less than $4 million in cash on hand. Ron DeSantis' PAC, Never Back Down, reported having close to $100 million sitting in the bank. The money was not only spent on Trump's legal fees but also that of some of his advisers, some of whom have also needed legal representation in relation to his ongoing cases. Despite this, combining the finances of Trump's campaign, PAC, and super PAC doesn't come close to matching the cash on hand reported by DeSantis' super PAC, Never Back Down, which said it had $96.8 million sitting in the bank at the end of June.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Ron DeSantis, Trump, Stormy Daniels, —, DeSantis Organizations: Donald Trump's PAC, Save, Trump, PAC, Florida Gov, Service, Republican, White, Trump's PAC, America, MAGA, New York Times, GOP Locations: Save America, Wall, Silicon

☆ Even Trump's PAC is skiplagging now
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Trump's political action committee has embraced skiplagging, according to federal campaign finance reports. Save America PAC used the tactic as it spent more than $21 million on legal fees. Airlines are increasingly trying to thwart skiplagging as passengers embrace the practice amid rising prices. While some of that money was routed back to Trump's super PAC, more than $21 million was spent on legal fees. A representative for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment about how the former president's orbit is using skiplagging.

Persons: Donald Trump's, SkipLagged, Joe Biden, Trump, Bobby Laurie Organizations: Save America PAC, Service, Trump, Trump PAC, Trump's, US Airways, Virgin America Locations: Wall, Silicon, New York

☆ DeSantis' team finds a line of attack to go after Trump: his $40 million in legal fees
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A member of DeSantis' team called out Trump on Twitter for spending over $40 million on legal fees. The Washington Post reported that Trump's PAC has spent more on legal fees than any other expense. In response to The Post's report, Andrew Romeo, a spokesperson for the DeSantis campaign, tweeted, "Trump has spent over $60 million on 2 things: falsely attacking DeSantis and paying his own legal fees, not a cent on defeating Biden. DeSantis' sole focus, by contrast, has been campaigning for this country's future, defeating Biden, and reversing the decline of America." Members of DeSantis' campaign team and Trump's campaign team did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Persons: DeSantis, Trump, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Donald Trump's, Andrew Romeo, Biden, Stormy Daniels, He's Organizations: Twitter, Washington Post, Trump's, Service, Florida Governor, Post, Capitol Locations: Wall, Silicon, Florida, Georgia, Washington , DC

☆ ‘Trump too small’ trademark clash to be decided by Supreme Court
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Lawrence Hurley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A crude joke that Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., used to mock what he said was then-2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump's "small hands" will be the centerpiece of a Supreme Court ruling on whether a California lawyer can trademark the phrase "Trump too small." The "Trump too small" phrase is a reference to a 2016 Republican presidential primary debate featuring both Trump and Rubio. Rubio joked about Trump having small hands, adding: "And you know what they say about guys with small hands." In a February 2022 ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled against the trademark office, saying the denial violated Elster's free speech rights under the Constitution's First Amendment. The Supreme Court in recent years has endorsed free speech rights in the trademark context, suggesting Elster could have a chance of prevailing in the case.

Persons: Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, Sen, Donald Trump's, Trump, Steve Elster, Elster, Rubio, Elizabeth Prelogar Organizations: U.S, Republican, U.S . Patent, Trump, U.S ., Appeals, Federal Circuit Locations: Detroit , Michigan, California

☆ Smartmatic subpoenas Donald Trump's former campaign in lawsuit against Fox News over 2020 election conspiracy theories
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump's lawyers defamed Smartmatic with election conspiracy theories, Smartmatic says. They seek communications and files from Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., Trump's campaign vehicle for the 2016 and 2020 elections. In the subpoenas, Smartmatic asks for all communications regarding Smartmatic or Dominion — a rival election technology company also caught up in conspiracy theories — in connection with Fox News and Newsmax around the time of the 2020 election. They also ask for communication regarding appearances by Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, two attorneys who advanced the conspiracy theories on behalf of the Trump campaign. The subpoenas indicate that Smartmatic seeks to penetrate the inner workings of Trump's campaign operation to understand their links with right-wing media organizations.

☆ Donald Trump's fans sent him $1.5 million in 3 days after he falsely claimed that he'd get arrested on Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

He raised $1.5 million in the three days after saying he'd be arrested, per multiple reports. The Trump campaign brought in $11.8 million in the six weeks before the announcement, averaging out at $280,000 per day. And in the six weeks after Trump announced his run, his campaign raised $9.5 million, or $226,000 per day. As the anticipation of an indictment grew, Trump's campaign capitalized on the rumors by highlighting them in almost every fundraising message. The former president's fundraising efforts appeared on Truth Social as well.

☆ Meet the megadonors backing the Trump super PAC as some top donors opt out of supporting 2024 candidacy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Yet, the latest disclosure, which shows fundraising for the super PAC from Oct. 20 through Nov. 28, also lists nine other individual contributions totaling over $900,000. Wealthy businessman Timothy Mellon contributed $1.5 million to the super PAC on Oct. 5, according to the records. This small group of megadonors arrived in support of the super PAC just prior to other influential financiers deciding they will not back Trump's 2024 candidacy for president. During Trump's first run for the White House in 2016, Pate financed the anti-Trump super PAC We The People Foundation. Anthony Lomangino, a recycling mogul, donated $100,000 to the super PAC on Nov. 4.

☆ GOP donor who gave Trump $120,000 in 2020 now says he won't give the former president anything
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A GOP donor who gave Donald Trump $120,000 in 2020 now says he won't give him a nickel. Andy Sabin, chairman of Sabin Metal Corp, told CNBC he blames Trump for the GOP's midterms results. Sabin gave Trump $120,000 in 2020, per CNBC. "At the end of the day, people stayed away because of Trump," Sabin said. Sabin told CNBC that he, too, blames Trump for the party's election failures.

☆ GOP mega-donor Ken Griffin, who's poured $60 million into Republican campaigns this cycle, called Trump a '3-time loser' and said he shouldn't run for president
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

GOP mega-donor and Citadel CEO Ken Griffin called Donald Trump a "three-time loser." Griffin has donated nearly $60 million to Republicans this cycle, and $1 million to Trump's PAC in 2018. Griffin donated $5 million to DeSantis' reelection campaign in 2018, according to data from the transparency website OpenSecrets. Trump and DeSantis are anticipated to clash for the Republican presidential nomination, with Trump deriding the Florida governor with a mocking nickname, "Ron DeSanctimonious." In 2018, Griffin donated $1 million to Trump's Future45 PAC, per OpenSecrets data.

☆ As Trump readies possible 2024 White House run, GOP megadonors back DeSantis, Youngkin, other Republicans
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Sabin contributed $55,000 this year to a pro-DeSantis PAC, Friends of Ron DeSantis, which supported the Florida governor's successful bid for reelection, according to state campaign finance records. Trump, meanwhile, has scheduled a primetime announcement Tuesday night, heavily hinting that it will be his presidential campaign launch. Trump also endorsed dozens of winning House candidates, but many of those Republicans were in firmly red districts without a serious competitor. Ross hosted a fundraiser for Trump at his Hamptons home in 2019 to raise money for Trump's campaign and the Republican National Committee. While Levine didn't personally donate to Trump's races, he helped raise campaign cash for several other candidates Trump endorsed in the last cycle.

☆ Donald Trump tells donors to help Republicans win the US Senate — by giving his own political committees money
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Madison Hall | Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Who will control the US Senate is still unknown as results from Arizona and Nevada continue trickling in. A text message sent from former President Donald Trump's political committees Save America Joint Fundraising CommitteeSave America Joint Fundraising CommitteeTrump's PACs could choose to use some of that money to boost the remaining GOP Senate candidates. The rest of it — nearly $70 million in Save America alone, per federal records — remains unspent. Some of the biggest candidate-related spending Trump's Save America PAC has done this year? On Tuesday night, the Save America Joint Fundraising Committee blasted another fundraising missive with the message: "DO YOU WANT PRESIDENT TRUMP TO RUN IN 2024?"

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks after the primary election for the midterms during the "Keep Florida Free Tour" at Pepin's Hospitality Centre in Tampa, Florida, U.S., August 24, 2022. But introduced as "America's governor," DeSantis' one-hour speech sounded like a presidential-style campaign address heavy on his Florida track record. The X-factor remains former President Donald Trump, a fellow Republican who has strongly suggested he will launch another White House run. A USA Today/Suffolk poll released on Wednesday showed DeSantis leads Trump 48%-40% among Florida Republicans in a 2024 presidential primary contest. We're about getting Ron DeSantis to run and electing him so we beat Joe Biden and save our country."

read more Save America is a fundraising body known as a leadership PAC, which only allows politicians to help their allies financially. To be sure, Trump's Save America PAC has spent money on the midterms: close to $9 million on rallies with candidates where Trump has repeatedly hinted he could run for president again; and a similar amount on direct contributions to the more than 200 candidates Trump has endorsed. Reuters GraphicsFEDERAL PROBEThe New York Times reported earlier this month that a federal grand jury in Washington was seeking information on the formation of - and spending by - Save America. During the first half of the year, Save America vacuumed in close to a fifth of the funds raised through WinRed, the main Republican online fundraising platform. Save America regularly sends supporters emails proclaiming them "Patriot of the Month" - or chiding them for not yet contributing.

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