‘Sore Loser’ Trump’s Latest Lawsuit Threat Defies Claim He’ll ‘Make America Great Again’

ATRA Says Jobseekers, Consumers Won’t Benefit from More Lawsuits

The American Tort Reform Association today criticized GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump after he threatened during a radio interview to sue rival Sen. Ted Cruz over allegedly untrue comments made by Cruz and his campaign staff, which Trump says cost him a first-place finish in Monday’s Iowa Caucuses.

“American politics has always been rough and tumble, and some liberties with the truth have been taken by all parties and virtually all candidates, at least since ratification of the First Amendment, which even Mr. Trump must know offers broad protections for political speech,” observed ATRA communications director Darren McKinney.

McKinney referenced a Monday column by the Wall Street Journal’s Kimberley Strassel, “Trump and the Obama Power Temptation,” which documented several comparable threats of litigation made by Trump earlier in the campaign.  The conservative Club for Growth, a Florida businessman opposing Trump’s candidacy, a political-action committee supporting Ohio Gov. John Kasich for president, a small business selling anti-Trump chotskies, and even the Journal itself have been threatened with Trump lawsuits.

“No smart candidate wants to become known as a sore loser,” McKinney continued, “and no candidate claiming he’ll ‘make America great again’ can do so credibly if he reflexively threatens or resorts to litigation every time something doesn’t go his way.

“Overwhelming majorities of Americans are sick of lawsuits and understand that more lawsuits mean fewer jobs, less affordable and accessible healthcare, and higher consumer prices.

“Remember the ridiculous multimillion-dollar class actions attacking Subway when a few ‘Five-Dollar Footlong’ sandwiches measured only about 11.5 inches?” asked McKinney.  “Well, news broke today that the price for those sandwiches is now rising to $6.  Footlong lovers can thank personal injury lawyers and their sue-happy clients, with whom Mr. Trump seems to have something in common.

“Meanwhile, Mr. Trump’s litigiousness worries those of us who believe our next president, in contrast to our current president, should work to contain the plaintiffs’ bar and its economy-undermining lawsuits.  We also believe that Mr. Trump’s opponents in both parties would be wise to step up with plans for reasonable civil justice reforms to help spur economic growth that’s more robust than last quarter’s 0.7%.”