Trump campaign ordered to pay unprecedented $1.3 million after trying to block Omarosa's tell-all

The sum is the largest known attorney fee award against a political campaign or president, lawyer says

Published April 21, 2022 12:30PM (EDT)

Omarosa Manigault Newman (Getty/Drew Angerer)
Omarosa Manigault Newman (Getty/Drew Angerer)

This article originally appeared on AlterNet.

Former President Donald Trump's campaign has been ordered to pay Omarosa Manigault Newman's million-dollar attorney fees following a years-long court battle.

According to CNBC News, Manigault Newman's attorney has confirmed the Trump presidential campaign will pay $1.3 million in legal fees over its lawsuit filed to challenge the former "Apprentice" star and White House trade advisor's book written about her time working for the Trump administration.

The latest ruling comes several months after the arbitrator over the case delivered a favorable ruling for Manigault Newman stating: "a confidentiality agreement she signed while working on Trump's 2016 campaign was invalid under New York law."

Following her abrupt departure from the Trump administration in 2018, Manigault Newman penned a scathing tell-all memoir titled "Unhinged: An Insider's Account of the Trump White House."

Shortly after its release, the Trump campaign filed its complaint with the American Arbitration Association in New York arguing that the former White House official "violated that nondisclosure agreement" with the release of her book.

However, the arbitrator has ruled otherwise; another legal blow for the Trump campaign. In wake of the ruling, Manigault Newman's lawyer John Phillips released a statement reacting to the ruling as he noted that it is the "largest known attorney fee award against a Political Campaign or President we can find and hopefully will send a message that weaponized litigation will not be tolerated and empower other lawyers to stand up and fight for the whistleblower and vocal critic against the oppressive machine."

He added, "However, the $1.3 Million pales in comparison to the $3 to $4 million the Trump Campaign paid its own lawyers in order to suppress speech.

"That's a lot of donations which went to lawyers in the name of politics. It's truly shameful," Phillips said. "We look forward to receiving a check and will donate a portion of the proceeds to groups who stand up to the suppression of speech."


By Meaghan Ellis

MORE FROM Meaghan Ellis


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Alternet Donald Trump Omarosa Manigault Newman Partner Politics