Defamation lawsuit against Trump gets boost from law professors

Three law professors filed an amicus brief arguing that a sitting president, in this case, Donald Trump, does not enjoy immunity from civil suits. The amicus brief concerned a lawsuit against Trump by a woman who appeared on The Apprentice and later alleged that Trump had kissed and attacked her in a hotel room in 2007. She sued Trump for defamation when he accused her of fabricating the story. (The Hollywood Reporter, September 20, 2017, by Eriq Gardner)

Trump’s defense rests on the Supremacy Clause, “…state governments, including their courts, refrain from interfering in the operations of the federal government.” The professors said the clause concerns federal laws, not federal officials, and that a president is not immune to civil suits unrelated to his official duties. (JD Journal, September 20, 2017, by Teresa Lo)