A United States court has issued a fine against former president Donald Trump to the tune of about $1 million over what it tagged, “frivolous” lawsuit against former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.
Recall that the Washington Post had reported that Trump filed a lawsuit against Clinton, ex-FBI director James Comey and other officials for their alleged attempt to rig the 2016 election.
Clinton, the wife of former US president Bill Clinton was the Democratic presidential candidate in 2016.
A federal judge in Florida while ruling on the matter slammed a fined of $1 million against Trump and his legal representatives over the allegations.
According to TWP, the Judge Donald M Middlebrooks of the Southern District of Florida wrote, “This case should never have been brought. Its inadequacy as a legal claim was evident from the start.”
The sanctions are necessary because the former president had exhibited a “pattern” of misusing the courts for his political agenda, Middlebrooks said.
He further added that, “No reasonable lawyer would have filed it. Intended for a political purpose, none of the counts of the amended complaint stated a cognisable legal claim.
“A continuing pattern of misuse of the courts by Mr Trump and his lawyers undermines the rule of law, portrays judges as partisans, and diverts resources from those who have suffered actual legal harm.”
“He is the mastermind of strategic abuse of the judicial process, and he cannot be seen as a litigant blindly following the advice of a lawyer.”
The judge ruled that Trump and his lawyer Alina Habba would be jointly liable for $937,989 in sanctions. “The amount of fees awarded in this case, while reasonable, is substantial,” judge Middlebrooks wrote.