A federal court has upheld a $1 million penalty against former President Donald Trump and his former lawyer, Alina Habba, for filing a ‘frivolous’ lawsuit against Hillary Clinton, James Comey, and others. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected their appeal, reinforcing the original ruling that the lawsuit was filed in bad faith and with no legitimate legal or factual basis. The decision comes amid ongoing legal battles involving Trump’s former associates and political opponents.
The ruling, which was initially issued in 2023, stemmed from a lawsuit that Trump filed against Clinton, Comey, and various other figures, alleging they conspired to undermine his 2016 presidential campaign. During the original ruling, Judge Donald Middlebrooks criticized Trump for using the courts as a tool for revenge and for strategically abusing the judicial process. The penalty amount was reduced to approximately $938,000, to be split among the defendants named in the case.
Trump’s legal team, including Habba, who now serves as a U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, had previously appealed the ruling, but the court ultimately upheld the penalty. This ruling is part of a broader pattern of legal challenges involving Trump’s former allies and critics, including recent developments in the case of former FBI Director James Comey, who sought to dismiss his criminal case citing ‘vindictive prosecution.’
The lawsuit, which was dismissed in 2023, originally accused the defendants of conspiring to undermine Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. During the original ruling, Judge Donald Middlebrooks criticized Trump for using the courts as a tool for revenge and for strategically abusing the judicial process.
The penalty amount was reduced to approximately $938,000, to be split among the defendants named in the case. Trump’s legal team, including Habba, who now serves as a U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, had previously appealed the ruling, but the court ultimately upheld the penalty. This ruling is part of a broader pattern of legal challenges involving Trump’s former allies and critics, including recent developments in the case of former FBI Director James Comey, who sought to dismiss his criminal case citing ‘vindictive prosecution.’
The ruling comes just days after a separate federal court dismissed false statements charges leveled against Comey. Judge Cameron Currie ruled that the charges were brought by an unqualified U.S. attorney. That U.S. attorney is Lindsay Halligan, who Trump appointed to the position just weeks prior.
Currie, a Clinton appointee based in South Carolina, was brought in from out of state to preside over proceedings about the question of Halligan’s authority because it presented a conflict for the Virginia judges. Comey’s and James’ challenges to Halligan’s appointment were consolidated because of their similarity.