(New York) A New York judge temporarily blocked Tuesday the publication of a book written by the niece of Donald Trump, who is due to be released on 28 July and looks embarrassing for the president three months before the presidential election.
Posted on 30 June 2020 at 16 h 04
France Media Agency
In a two-page decision, judge Hal Greenwald indicated blocking the publication of the book entitled Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man , at least until 10 July.
He invites the lawyers of Mary Trump and his publisher Simon & Schuster to present to him by this date the reasons why the book would not violate a confidentiality agreement that the niece had accepted in connection with the inheritance from Fred Trump, the president's father.
Since the publisher's announcement of its release in mid-June, this book, which is supposed to shine “a harsh light on the dark history” of the Trump family, has been the subject of a legal battle.
Last week, a brother of the president, Robert Trump, had seized a specialized court in New York to prevent the publication of the book, but the latter declared himself incompetent to resolve the dispute.
Via his lawyer Charles Harder, Robert Trump welcomed the blockage announced Tuesday, and said he decided to fight to the end to limit “the enormous damage” caused by what is for him flagrant ” breach of contract “.
Mary Trump’s lawyer, Theodore Boutrous, immediately promised to appeal.
Even if the blockade is only temporary, “it flatly violates the First Amendment” of the US Constitution, which protects freedom of expression, he said.
“This book, on subjects of great interest and importance for public opinion concerning a president in office during an electoral year, should not be censored, if only for a day, “he added.
Mary Trump, a 55 year old psychologist, is the daughter of Fred Trump Jr., elder brother of the republican billionaire who died in 1981, at 42 years, following alcoholism.
In this book 240 pages, she recounts events she witnessed in her grandparents' house in New York, where they grew up Donald Trump and his four siblings.
“She describes a nightmare of trauma, destructive relationships, and a tragic mix of neglect and abuse,” says her publishing house, Simon & Schuster.
