Donald Trump’s bumbling personal attorney Alina Habba is the latest member of Trump’s legal team to face real legal peril. Habba allegedly played a crucial role in a recent settlement between Trump’s Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club and a former server at the club, leaving the Trump attorney vulnerable to future legal action.
Alice Bianco claimed that she was repeatedly sexually harassed by food and beverage manager Pavel Melichar in 2021, but was manipulated by Habba to sign a nondisclosure agreement as part of a piddling hush-money deal. Bianco sued over the shady deal in November, and last week the golf club agreed to pay her $82,500.
The deal leaves Habba open to further litigation on the matter, as the settlement includes this very purposeful language: “The parties agree that Alina Habba is not a party to this release.” Bianco’s lawyer told The Daily Beast that “My client is certainly considering suing her for fraud.”
This is not the first time Habba has run afoul of legal ethics. Last year, she and Trump were sanctioned nearly $1 million by a Florida judge for filing a "completely frivolous" lawsuit against Hillary Clinton, former FBI officials, and the Democratic Party. The defendants in that case have asked the court to impose additional sanctions and reimburse their court costs; those requests are still pending.
But Habba isn’t the first Trump attorney, or second, or third, or … you get the idea, to find themselves in trouble with the law:
Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani is facing racketeering charges in Georgia for his part in Trump’s attempt to overthrow the 2020 elections. This comes on top of his suspension (and possible disbarment) from practicing law in New York and D.C., the $148 million in damages a jury awarded two former Georgia election workers who sued Giuliani for defamation, and his current bankruptcy filing.
Sydney (the Kraken) Powell. Powell has already pleaded guilty to six counts of misdemeanor “conspiracy to commit interference with performance of election duties” related to her role in the Georgia racketeering case.
Jenna Ellis. Ellis tearfully cut a plea deal with Georgia prosecutors in October for her part in Trump’s attempts to change the outcome of the 2020 election.
Lin Wood. An ardent Trump supporter, Wood chose to “retire” his law license so that Georgia’s State Bar would drop disciplinary cases against him. Last month, the Supreme Court rejected his appeal over $150,000 in sanctions he and others (including Powell) were ordered to pay for “a sham lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results in Michigan.”
John Eastman. Eastman’s post-2020 election “activities” have him facing 11 counts of ethical and legal violations that may very well result in his disbarment.
Michael Cohen. Then-candidateTrump’s longtime personal lawyer, Cohen spent time in prison and served a criminal home confinement sentence for tax fraud and excessive campaign contributions in connection with carrying out hush-money deals to cover up Trump’s marital infidelities.
When Business Insider reported on Habba becoming Trump’s newest personal attorney back in February 2022, Cohen was blunt:
"For Donald, the only option is victory at any cost," Cohen told Insider. "This even includes having counsel act in ways detrimental to their reputation and career."
"If she falls down the garbage chute I did," he said. "I predict a very bad ending."
Predictable, indeed.
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