Daily Archives: April 17, 2021

Since we reported last month that Donald Trump downgraded to a regular private jet, likely his Cessna Citation X, CNN tracked down his more famous VIP Boeing 757 parked at a remote airport north of New York City. Its seemingly in a state of disrepair. Very sad! Articles speculated that the 45th president either couldnt or wouldnt spend an estimated $6 million making it airworthy to carry passengers.

His least favorite cable news network slyly reasoned, Though the current state of his finances aren't public, the Covid-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the hospitality industry home to so many of his businesses.

If youre a hater, dont snicker too loudly. Without spending a nickel on repairs, Trump may well be able to turn the grounded airliner into a cash machine, generating millions of dollars per year in profits.

Here's how a former president of the United States could turn a grounded VIP 757 into millions of ... [+] dollars in annual profits. (Photo by Joaquin Gomez Sastre/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

For months Ive been asking people who might know about the luxury jets future, once owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and before that a defunct Danish budget airline. Some thought it could end up on the charter market. VIP airliners fetch $15,000 to $40,000 per hour when rented out. Others suggested it was destined to be the centerpiece of a future presidential library. Expensive repairs seem to rule out the former. It turns out the latter wouldnt have much in the way of tax benefits and could cost 45 huge lost profits.

According to an attorney who specializes in UHNW tax strategies, the bigly issue with Trump donating his 757 to his presidential library is the way they are set-up. He says, setting up a library typically involves the outgoing president forming a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation bearing their namesake, which will be directly tied to their presidential library (i.e., the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation) or a broader charitable mission that includes funding the construction and management of the library (i.e., The Barack Obama Foundation, The Clinton Foundation, among others). All libraries dating back to Reagan's are 501(c)(3) organizations (or formed under broader 501(c)(3) organizations) for tax purposes.

In terms of valuing a potential deduction for the donation of Trumps parked airplane, the attorney references IRS guidance (Pub. 526). It states if the donor donates a qualified vehicle with a claimed fair market value in excess of $500, the donor may deduct the smaller of: the gross proceeds from the sale of the vehicle by the organization, or the vehicle's fair market value on the date of the contribution.

NEWBURGH, NY - MARCH 22: Donald Trump's personal 757 airplane sits at the edge of a runway in need ... [+] of repairs, where it has been unused since Joe Biden's inauguration, on March 22, 2021 at Stewart Airport outside Newburgh, New York. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

A memo on the subject he forwarded to me states if the fair market value is more than your cost (or other) basis, the donor may have to reduce the fair market value to arrive at the deductible amount.For property used in a trade or business that is ordinary income propertyto the extent of any gain that would have been treated as ordinary income because of depreciation had the property been sold at its fair market value at the time of contributionthe amount the donor can deduct for a contribution of such property is its fair market value minus the amount that would be ordinary income if the donor sold the property for its fair market value.

This rule limits the deduction to the donor's basis in the property. Thus, he says, if Trump now has an adjusted basis of zero dollars in the plane, any charitable deduction would also be zero dollars. If the plane had a fair market value of $5 million dollars at the time of donation, and Trump would have $5 million of ordinary income (adjusted basis of zero dollars after depreciation and all income would be ordinary), his charitable deduction would be zero dollars.

If the now Palm Beach, Florida resident contributes property with a fair market value that is less than his basis in it, the deduction is limited to fair market value. A deduction cannot be claimed for the difference between the property's basis and its fair market value, he says.

A key factor complicating a museum donation is the fair market value of Trump's plane. In its current condition, it is a difficult task with a lot of variables. It could be worth far more than its average counterpart given the history attached and its opulent interior, or it could be worth virtually nothing because it is a 30-year-old plane stuck on the runway, say experts

I think it is certainly possible, if not likely, that the fair market value of his plane is greater than his basis - after depreciation, in which case he would probably be limited to basis for purposes of a charitable deduction. However, if Trump does have a cost basis left, it's theoretically possible the plane's current fair market value is less than his adjusted basis. In that case, the deduction would likely be limited to current fair market value.

In case you are like me and are not an UHNW tax expert and dont have experience donating cars and airplanes to non-profits, the bottom line Im told by the two specialists is they dont see a financial benefit for Trump donating his 757 to his presidential library or another non-profit. They did come to the same conclusion. The former presidents acumen for marketing and sales means the jet is likely not headed for the scrap heap.

The art of the deal. With Trumps loyal MAGA followers, the aircraft could end up being a highly profitable tourist attraction. For example, grounded Concorde supersonic jet displays are popular draws. A Concorde display in Manchester, England pre-pandemic attracted 250,000 visitors per year.

One resting spot that could make sense is Las Vegas, where Trump is already partners with fellow billionaire Phillip Ruffin in a Trump International Hotel. Best friend Ruffin owns nearby Circus Circus and Treasure Island.

According to a report by Forbes, Ruffins 2019 acquisition of Circus Circus for $825 includes the Adventuredome, a five-acre indoor theme park. Tickets go for $40. In 2014, the most recent statistics we could find, it drew 3.2 million visitors.

Needless to say Vegas has an array of paid attractions with a wide range of admission fees. Access to the Eiffel Tower Viewing Deck at Paris Las Vegas starts at $22.59. The Las Vegas Mob Museum is $29.50. For $36.99 you can see artifacts of the RMS Titanic at The Luxor. The SkyJump at the Stratosphere will set you back $133 for the time it takes to plummet 829 feet.

So how much could the former president pocket by sending his 757 on a one-way flight to the entertainment capital of the world?

Flowing 1,000 visitors a day through an airplane exhibit between 10 am and 6 pm would be no problem, says one former theme park executive. Multiply that by $20 per ticket and 365 days, and you end up with $7.3 million. Trumps 757 could make money after hours as event space for private parties. Renting it out for $10,000 on 100 nights would generate another million dollars. Souvenirs, including miniatures, add more cash.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, how will Trump get the airplane to Vegas when it needs millions of dollars in repairs? One aviation insider tells us all he needs is to get a ferry flight waiver from the FAA. Its something that happens at a low level in the agency and is routine, allowing airlines and owners to fly their broken aircraft to an MRO for fixes.

If Trump partners with Ruffin, another perk could be an upgrade back to the type of VIP private jet hes used to. Ruffin related companies own at least three private jets, including a 1999 Boeing Business Jet, which Trump used during his 2016 run to The White House.

Link:

Donald Trumps 757 Could Be Worth Millions On The Ground - Forbes

David A. Graham: The double bind of Trumps outrageous statements

An outburst over the weekendspeaking to a room of Republican officials and donors, Trump called the most powerful elected Republican in the nation a dumb son of a bitchunderscores his fade. The speech got some attention, but not much. The time when covfefe could consume the nation for days on end is, mercifully, past.

One common theory for Trumps disappearance is that his ban from Twitter (and other social-media sites) effectively knocked out his ability to reach a wide audience. With the Twitter account at his fingertips, he could blast whatever thought or diatribe was at the top of his mind to millions of followers; the press would dutifully report on the latest outrage and the discourse around it. Adding to the credibility of the theory, Trumps eclipse seemed to begin around January 8, when Twitter announced the ban.

Trump clearly misses the feeling of tweeting and getting immediate feedback. Hes taken to emailing statementssometimes several in a dayto reporters, presumably in the hopes that theyll tweet them, but its not the same. For one thing, freed from the constraints of 280 characters, he tends to ramble into the kind of incoherence manifested at his rallies. For another, sentiments that took on some comprehensibility in the churn of social media feel disembodied and nonsensical when they land in my inbox. (Why exactly is Trump sending this statement praising Stephen Miller? Did I miss something, or did he? Or both?)

David A. Graham: Trump is getting more desperateand more dangerous

But the Twitter theory has flaws, too. Trumps tweets could still make government officials quake, but they had already begun to lose their potency by 2019. Fewer people were responding to them, and Trumps attempts to make up for that decline by simply tweeting more often further diluted the effect. The nation seemed to grow blas (for better or worse) about the presidents most outrageous remarks.

Besides, someone of Trumps fame doesnt need a Twitter account. As an insurgent presidential candidate in 2015, Trump found that the account provided a useful way to drive the conversation, even though few journalists or politicians initially took his run seriously. But by the time he was president, Trump had plenty of other ways to commandeer media attention: press conferences, formal interviews, Oval Office addresses.

Although he sometimes eschewed these methods as presidenthe didnt give an Oval Office address until almost two years into his termhes now using the ones that remain available to him. For a period beginning after the January 6 coup attempt, Trump was uncharacteristically silent, apparently heeding the advice of aides who suggested that he should keep his head down while the Senate was still considering his impeachment. Since the Senate failed to convict, Trump has been more vocal. He has continued to make public remarks, including to the Republican National Committee gathering last weekend, and has given interviews to several of his favorite cable-news outlets. Hes also given at least a dozen interviews for books about his presidency. Trump could probably get more attention if he gave an interview to a more adversarial interviewerTrump with Jake Tapper or Mary Louise Kelly, or a rematch with Chris Wallace or Lesley Stahl would surely produce fireworksbut it wasnt that long ago that a call-in to Fox & Friends was plenty newsmaking on its own.

See the rest here:

What Ever Happened to Donald Trump? - The Atlantic

Good morning! Welcome to 10 Things in Politics, your weekday look at the biggest stories in DC and beyond. Sign up here to receive this newsletter.

Send tips to bgriffiths@insider.com or tweet me at @BrentGriffiths.

With Jordan Erb

Here's what we're talking about today:

1. THE ART OF THE POST-PRESIDENCY: Former President Trump feels great. This may not be his best life. After all, he still faces wide legal exposure including to his namesake company; left office as the only twice-impeached president; and senior members of his party blame him for inciting an insurrection. But advisors say he's taking this new chapter with a renewed zest.

Insider dove into his post-White House life at Mar-a-Lago as he mulls his political future.

Here's a peek at our story:

"I think there's something to be said about no longer having the weight of the free world on your shoulders," an advisor who recently spoke to Trump about his health said.

Read the rest of our report here.

Sen. Joe Manchin Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

2. There's hope for a bipartisan infrastructure deal, but divisions remain: Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia balked at a potential Republican plan that could range from $600 billion to $800 billion, a drastic counteroffer to Biden's $2.3 trillion package. Manchin said he would support a $4 trillion plan as long as it's paid for. Republicans continue to insist that raising corporate taxes is a "red line," andsome GOP lawmakers advocate fees to be paid by drivers.

3. 8 dead in a mass shooting in Indianapolis: Eight people were killed during a shooting at a FedEx facility near the city's airport on Thursday night. Four others were taken to local hospitals with injuries. The suspect appeared to have taken his own life. Here's what else we know.

4. Both sides rest in Derek Chauvin's murder trial. He will not take the stand: Chauvin's defense lasted only two days and focused on George Floyd's heart condition and drug use, despite multiple medical experts saying it was Chauvin's actions that killed Floyd. The jury could begin deliberations as soon as Monday.

Still from Chicago Police body camera footage from the Civilian Office of Police Accountability's (COPA). Civilian Office of Police Accountability

Video shows a Chicago officer killing a 13-year-old: Video shows officer Eric Stillman chasing Adam Toledo, 13, before yelling at him to show his hands. Less than one second later, Toledo is shot as he raises his hands. An attorney for Toledo's family said the video did not immediately determine whether he was holding a gun, but said that wasn't relevant. Toledo appears to be holding something in his hand at one point, which police claim is a gun. More on the story here. (Note: The footage is in the story and is graphic.)

5. People will likely need a booster shot of Pfizer vaccine within a year: Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the extra dose will be key in fighting COVID-19 variants. It's possible that people will need yearly shots, he said. As for Moderna, its CEO Stphane Bancel said that the drugmaker is hoping to a get booster authorized this summer and in arms before fall. More on the latest vaccine news.

6. Washington moves of the week: Rep. Matt Gaetz promoted a former Democratic staffer who has quickly climbed the ranks in his office. Here are some of the other biggest moves this week.

Isabela Belchior, who previously worked for Democratic Rep. Sylvia Garcia, is now a legislative director for Gaetz.

Jeff Lowenstein will become staff director on the House Intelligence Committee; Patrick Boland will become chief of staff for Rep. Adam Schiff, the panel's chairman. Jonathan Carter, who previously served in Sen. Richard Blumenthal's office, is joining Tesla as a policy advisor.

Read the rest of our exclusive list here.

7. Biden says he could have gone further with Russian sanctions, but stuck with a "proportionate" response: The US expelled 10 diplomats in retaliation for Russia's involvement in the SolarWinds hack and interference in the 2020 election. Moscow retorted that the US can expect a "decisive rebuff." More on the sanctions here.

8.The top things for your calendar, all times Eastern:

9. Senior Democrats question expanding the Supreme Court: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she has "no plans" to bring a bill to floor that would expand the high court from 9 to 13 justices. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin of Illinois, another key leader, is also not ready to support such a step. But House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler of New York not only supports it, he's one of the bill's authors. Inside the debate here.

10. Royal drama: Prince William and Prince Harry will not walk side-by-side at their grandfather Prince Philip's funeral. Instead, their cousin will walk between them. Reports of conflict between the brothers have abounded since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey, but Buckingham Palace insists the separation was a practical change.

The funeral is tomorrow. Here's how you can watch.

One last thing.

Today's trivia question: How many people were in George Washington's original cabinet? Bonus points if you can name the positions.Email your guess and a suggested question to me at bgriffiths@insider.com.

That's all for now. Have a wonderful weekend!

Link:

10 Things in Politics: Donald Trump ditches his spray tan - Business Insider

Two worlds made an unlikely collision when Donald Trump Jr. took to his Instagram story Thursday to promote YouTuber Jake Paul's upcoming boxing match, which will be live-streamed on Triller, against former MMA fighter, Ben Askren.

This is the second time the former president's son has promoted the fight, the first being on April 11 when he called Paul a "YouTube legend."

"Okay guys, this is gonna be some fun stuff to do for the weekend," Trump Jr. said in his Instagram story. "UFC fighter Ben Askren is going to take on YouTube sensation and amateur boxer Jake Paul."

It's unclear if Trump Jr. has a relationship with Paul, but Paul has been supportive of former president Trump in the past.

The promotion is striking because Paul is one of the most controversial figures on the internet.

According to Insider's poll data, Paul is one of the most well-known and most disliked YouTubers. Paul was the subject of an FBI raid in August and was charged with misdemeanor trespassing after filming at a mall being looted in Arizona. Just days before Trump Jr.'s Instagram story, Paul addressed asexual assault allegation made against him which he denied.

Insider reached out to Trump Jr. and Paul but did not immediately hear back.

Paul's highly-publicized fight has gained attention in the sports community as people are hesitant to welcome Paul as an athlete. Bleacher Report said that its pick would still be Askren because "the idea that a decorated mixed martial artisteven at 36 and with a skill set leaning distinctly toward wrestling could lose a fight of any kind to a social media influencer with only a fellow YouTuber and a retired basketballer on his victim's list seems patently ridiculous."

The publication also noted that Askren's last two fights ended in defeat. In his fight against Jorge Masvidal, Askren was knocked out within five seconds the fastest knockout in UFC, according to ESPN. Paul, on the other hand, most recently knocked out basketball player Nate Robinson.

"For what it's worth, Jake Paul will arrive Saturday night as the bigger, stronger, and younger man, and the one who's coming off a string of successes even if they were against non-combat opponents," Bleacher Report noted.

See the article here:

Jake Paul: Donald Trump Jr. promotes Youtuber's fight with Ben Askern - Insider

Sacha Baron Cohens comic alter ego is returning to the screen in a multipart special featuring previously unseen footage filmed for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which was released last fall.

The trailer for Borat Supplemental Reportings Retrieved From Floor of Stable Containing Editing Machine begins with the fictional Kazakh journalist mocking the former presidents lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him.

In many months since stolen election in America, it turned out that thousands of valid votes were tragically counted, says Baron Cohen as Borat. Baron Cohen has previously credited Trump with inspiring him to make the film, because I felt that democracy was really in danger.

The trailer features outtakes of Borats daughter (played by Maria Bakalova) asking to be made up as R. Kelly, Borat flirting with Amazons virtual voice assistant Alexa, and Tutar asking a couple if social distancing is the reason why former first lady Melania Trump never stands close to Donald?

She was doing that before COVID ever came out, they reply.

The promo ends with the actor fleeing a pro-gun rally in Washington state in an ambulance. Go, go, go, go. Just keep going, Baron Cohen tells the driver, out of character. If you stop, youre going to be in a violent situation.

The show, which Amazon Prime Video said Thursday is coming soon, could well be Baron Cohens final outing as Borat. Hes claimed the gray suit is locked upand not coming out again.

Its unclear if theres additional footage from other notable moments from the hit film, including that scene involving Trumps former personal attorney Rudy Giuliani.

Calling all HuffPost superfans!

Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost's next chapter

Read more:

Borat Trolls Donald Trump's Election Lies In Never-Before-Seen Footage Teaser - HuffPost

Arnett Thomasis a convicted murderer who had spent two decades in prison before being released in 2000. Now 71-years-old and living in government housing, the New Jersey resident issuing Donald Trumpover the massive death toll from coronavirus,NewJersey.comreports.

"The former president literally became the very domestic enemy to the Constitution he swore to defend," Thomas wrote in his lawsuit that now includes more than 75 co-plaintiffs.

"The point of all of this is how Trump dealt with the pandemic. He drove people to dying," Thomas said, who is seeking $1 trillion from Trump as a punishment for the nearly 570,000 deaths in America. He also suing for the "ancillary economic and psychological problems for many others who lost jobs or fell into a deep depression from too much home confinement," according to NewJersey.com.

Thomas wrote the lawsuit himself without the help of an attorney, and he's looking for one to take on his case.

"It's not exactly the sort of game plan that usually succeeds in the heady atmosphere of a federal courtroom or, for that matter, even in the more pedestrian setting of a local traffic court," writes NewJersey.com's Mike Kelly. "But Thomas' legal crusade is significant nonetheless. It reflects the deep-seeded anger at Trump's behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic especially in Thomas' African-American community in Orange and Newark."

One of the lawsuit's co-plaintiffs, 21-year-old Kyani Robinson, says that everything Trump has done since being president "has been really shady and all backwards and messed up."

"Trump allowed the disease to spread," Thomas added. "What he did was politically motivated. If Trump would have handled this pandemic in a proper way he would have been elected [again]. Trump got kicked out because of the way he handled it."

Read more atNewJersey.com.

Visit link:

Donald Trump hit with $1 trillion lawsuit over massive COVID-19 death toll in US - Salon

Former President Donald Trump

Photographer: Samuel Corum/Bloomberg

Photographer: Samuel Corum/Bloomberg

Former cabinet members and top officials in Donald Trumps administration, including economic adviser Larry Kudlow, have launched a new think tank in an effort to create a policy platform out of the former presidents chaotic approach to governing.

The 40-person America First Policy Institute, a non-profit with a $20 million budget to start, will release research papers, hold events, write opinion pieces and make appearances at the state and federal levels, said Brooke Rollins, the former White House director of the Domestic Policy Council and the new institutes president and chief executive.

The institute has 20 policy centers focused on specific issues led by notable Trump administration officials. Kudlow will oversee the center for American prosperity; former Trump Energy Secretary Rick Perry will run the center for energy independence; and the American security center will be led by former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe and retired General Keith Kellogg, national security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence.

Photographer: Alex Edelman/CNP/Bloomberg

Other notable administration officials who have joined the institute include Linda McMahon, the former head of the Small Business Administration and former professional wrestling executive, said Rollins, who led the Texas Public Policy Foundation before joining the White House. Axios first reported the details of the launch.

Trump was known for governing by Twitter posts and for not following established GOP dogma, such as his opposition to free trade, a long-held Republican philosophy.

Unlike former presidents such as Ronald Reagan who came into office and governed by an established set of policies and world view, Trump didnt have a coherent political philosophy and platform that the groups are now trying to create, said Peter Wehner, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and Trump critic who served in three prior Republican administrations.

Theyre trying to construct a policy world after hes left office to try and explain after the fact what he stood for on policy, Wehner said.The institute joins other organizations being formed by former Trump administration officials since the president left office on Jan. 20, including Advancing American Freedom launched last week by former Vice President Mike Pence, a potential 2024 presidential candidate. Its advisory board features many former Trump advisers including Kudlow and Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president.

Photographer: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg

Wehner said he sees the group and others like it as part of the broader fight over the direction of the Republican Party, whether it continues to reflect Trumps ideas or follow traditional conservative principles. He also said an institute could help rehabilitate Trumps reputation after the Jan. 6 insurrection, his two impeachments and other controversies during his term.

Rollins said rehabilitation is not an aim of the institute, which she said is nonpartisan. She also said the purpose is to advance policies that work and are right for the country for decades to come.

Those on the other side of other aisle, those that are progressive, sort of radical, remake America, have out-gunned us on this field for years, if not decades, Rollins said.

Rollins said she, Kudlow and McMahon discussed the institute last week with Trump in person and that the former president will be involved in some capacity still to be determined.

Trump said in a statement issued through his political action committee that the institute has his full support.

Before it's here, it's on the Bloomberg Terminal.

Go here to see the original:

Trump Allies Work to Craft a Platform Going Beyond Fealty to Him - Bloomberg

Arnett Thomas has filed a federal class action lawsuit charging Donald Trump with excess deaths of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. NorthJersey.com

Arnett Thomas never thought he would be battling Donald Trump in court.

After all, Thomas is a convicted murderer. He spent two decades in a variety of New Jersey prisons before his release in 2000.

Trump is,well, confined to a prison of his own in Florida, banned from Twitter and other social media platforms but nevertheless threatening to run again for the White House.

But sometimes it takes a guy who knows something about wrongdoing to understand when something is wrong.

This is how Thomas, now 71, disabled and living in a government-sponsored housing complex in Orange, came to file a lawsuit in federal court in Newark that blames Trump for Americas massive and growing COVID-19 death toll.

The former president literally became the very domestic enemy to the Constitution he swore to defend, Thomas wrote in his 29-page class-action lawsuit, whichnow includes more than 75 co-plaintiffs.

So far, Trump has not responded.

But Thomas is talking.

Arnett Thomas, of Orange, has filed a federal class action lawsuit in New Jersey charging former President Donald Trump with excess deaths of Americans by his mishandling the response to COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo: Amy Newman, NORTHJERSEY.COM/ USA TODAY NETWORK)

For starters, Thomas says hes looking for $1 trillion from Trump as a punishment for the nearly 570,000 deaths in America from COVID-related causes, as well as the ancillary economic and psychological problems for many others who lost jobs or fell into a deep depression from too much home confinement.

The point of all of this is how Trump dealt with the pandemic, Thomas said in an interview. He drove people to dying.

STILE: Are NJ Republicans parting ways with Trump era? Early voting bill offers clues

On one level, Thomas legal joust with the former president is little more than a quixotic pipe dream that seems more suited to a skit on "Saturday Night Live." Thomas is not an attorney. Hes trying to entice one to take the case. He wrote the lawsuit himself, citing all manner of federal statutes and the U.S. Constitution.

Its not exactly the sort of game planthat usually succeeds in the heady atmosphere of a federal courtroom or, for that matter, even in the more pedestrian setting of a local traffic court.

But Thomas legal crusade is significant nonetheless. It reflects the deep-seated anger at Trumps behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic especially in Thomas African American community in Orange and Newark.

"Everything Trump has done since hes been in office has been really shady and all backwards and messed up," said one of the lawsuit's co-plaintiffs, Kyani Robinson, 21, a landscaper who lives in Roselle and happens to be one of Thomas' nephews.

Trump allowed the disease to spread, Thomas added. What he did was politically motivated. If Trump would have handled this pandemic in a proper way, he would have been elected [again]. Trump got kicked out because of the way he handled it.

President President Donald J. Trump elbow bumps Ariz. Gov. Doug Ducey during a Make America Great Again Rally in Tucson, Ariz. Oct.19, 2020.(Photo: Michael Chow, Michael Chow/The Republic)

American history is riddled with unpopular presidents who left behind a small army of critics and reservoirs of hatred from various corners of America when they left office. Exhibit A is Richard Nixon. But the list of unpopular ex-presidents also runs from Herbert Hoover to Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter.

Now there is Trump.

While the former president can still point to numerous admirers, especially on Americas right flank, he has nevertheless inflamed a whole new spirit of distaste, especially among moderates and progressives. At the same time, Trump is also being targeted by prosecutors in New York, for his business activities, and in Washington, for his possible role in the deadly storming of the U.S. Capitol by mobs of followers on Jan. 6.

Now comes the lawsuit by Thomas.

KELLY: Paterson a national testing ground and challenge for police reform

KELLY: A year of COVID-19, and the lessons we've yet to learn still linger

This story begins in prison.

When youre doing time for murder, you have,well,lots of time on your hands. Thomas, who was convicted in a drug-related murder in the 1980s, headed to the prison library and started reading law books.

He became so adept at understanding legal principles that he filed a lawsuit on behalf of New Jersey prison inmates in 1985 that resulted in changes in rules on solitary confinement.

Fast-forward to 2020.

Arnett Thomas, of Orange, has filed a federal class action lawsuit in New Jersey charging former President Donald Trump with excess deaths of Americans by his mishandling the response to COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo: Amy Newman, NORTHJERSEY.COM/ USA TODAY NETWORK)

Thomas had left his prison life far behind. After he was paroled in 2000, he worked a number of jobs, including a stint as a mechanic for NJ Transit and as a utilities inspector. Finally, he cobbled together enough money to start his own contracting firm in Asbury Park.

Then came the accident at a hardware store.

Thomas needed to pick up bricks, cement and other supplies for a home remodeling job in Asbury Park. But as he perused a hardware store, a shelf of bricks fell on his head. He was officially classified as disabled, diagnosed with permanent post-concussion syndrome.

With his girlfriend of 40 years, Helene Robinson, Thomas moved into Housing Authority apartments in Orange.

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thomas lost friends. He watched others lose jobs. Then he fell into a deep depression.

But with his lawsuit, hes already gained numerous fans.

Arnett Thomas is on the money, said Ronald Cowboy Wright, 81, a retired horse trainer at the Meadowlands Racetrack who lives in Newark and signed on to the lawsuit as a co-plaintiff. Arnett is a living brain.

In his lawsuit, Thomas calls Trump the domestic enemy to the United States Constitution. Along with an unprecedented partisan relationship with Republican legislators and Republican supporters, Thomas goes on to accuse Trump of creating a three-pronged Faustian deal with the devil.As a result, Thomas describes Trumps management of the COVID-19 pandemic as criminal.

Thomas points to what he calls Trumps openness to a medical concept known as herd immunity as especially troubling. Thomas claims that Trump and his advisers were open to letting the disease spread, in the belief that as more Americans became infected before a vaccine was developed, people would develop a herd immunity to the virus.

The problem here, as Thomas points out, is that the disease killed people, too.Yes, those who contracted the virus and survived developed immunity. But as this "herd" of immune survivors grew, many others perished.

Trump is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people across the expanse of America, by deploying and unleashing a natural herd immunity experiment which would contribute to five million reported COVID-19 cases and five hundred thousand deaths, Thomas wrote in his lawsuit.

Its never been conclusively proved that Trump authorizedany sort of herd immunity policy by his administration.But Trump mentioned the theory enough that critics began to wonder whether his administration was secretly hoping that COVID-19 might be defeated if a large segment of the American population became infected.

Arnett Thomas, of Orange, has filed a federal class action lawsuit in New Jersey charging former President Donald Trump with excess deaths of Americans by his mishandling the response to COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo: Amy Newman, NORTHJERSEY.COM/ USA TODAY NETWORK)

The debate became so intense last year that one of the key voices in Trumps anti-COVID-19 task force, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, made a point of saying in his own congressional testimony last fall that herd immunity is not the strategy of the U.S. government.

But Azars denials seemed moot when Trump began to rely on the advice of Dr. Scott Atlas, who reportedly pushed for a herd immunity policy until America could develop a vaccine to stop the pandemic.

If the Thomaslawsuit ever becomes a federal trial, the science or lack thereof behind herd immunity, as well as Trumps own disorganized efforts to battle COVID-19, would likely become a centerpiece of the case.

Thats just fine with Thomas and his co-plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

When you go down this road, Thomas said, you got to be true.

Thomas girlfriend,Robinson, 67, agreed.

By advocating herd immunity, Robinson said, Trump essentially reduced her and others to a human experiment."

That was unfair to me as a citizen, she said.

Another co-plaintiff, Kevin Williams, signed on to the lawsuit soon after Thomas called him and described what he was planning to do.

Williams, 61, a psychotherapist for a Philadelphia-based nonprofit, said the COVID-19 pandemic has been especially hard on Black and other minority communities.

As for Trump, Williams said he would like to see him in court.

At some point, I believe that public officials need to be held accountable, Williams said. I dont know what Trump thought he was doing, but what I can say is that its been a disaster.

That trial if it happens may take years to resolve.

For now, Thomas is sure of one true thing.

Trump is a gamer, he said. Some people can see it and some people cant.

Mike Kelly is an award-winning columnist for NorthJersey.com. To get unlimited access to his insightful thoughts on how we live life in New Jersey,please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email:kellym@northjersey.com

Twitter:@mikekellycolumn

Read or Share this story: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/columnists/mike-kelly/2021/04/15/trump-covid-nj-man-sues-over-handling-pandemic-us/7196288002/

The rest is here:

Donald Trump is facing yet another new lawsuit this one from a NJ parolee | Kelly - NorthJersey.com