So Donald Trump is now learning what it's like to be in politics. He's chagrinned, to put it mildly, about Club for Growth running ads he perceives as deceptive. First, his lawyer fired off a cease and desist letter.
The cease and desist demand targets recent TV ads, as well as media interviews promoting the commercials, that suggest Trump is "very liberal." Monday's letter singled out a Club for Growth claim that Trump supports higher taxes, which Trump's legal team says is misleading and comes from a single, 15-year-old article.
"In other words, you lied," the letter said. "Mr. Trump does not support higher taxes. This is the very definition of libel."
The letter goes on to accuse Club for Growth of attempting a "shake-down" because Trump refused to donate $1 million to the group in exchange for its support.
"When Mr. Trump, however, presumably unlike many of the other candidates, refused to succumb to your extortionist demands, your only response was to oppose his inclusion in the August 6, 2015 Fox News Republican Presidential Debate, launch a series of misleading Attack Ads targeting Mr. Trump and, ultimately, endorse certain other candidates," the letter said.
The letter said Club for Growth had the choice of accepting a "one-time opportunity" offer to stop the ads and the related claims, or face a "multi-million dollar lawsuit" against both the organization and its leader, David M. McIntosh.
As if a little legal maneuvering is going to faze Club for Growth. They're known as the Big Bullies, particularly when it comes to their ads. They thumbed their collective noses in response:
“Tough guy Donald Trump starts whining when his liberal record is revealed,” Club for Growth president David McIntosh said in a statement. “Trump has advocated higher taxes numerous times over many years, just like he’s advocated for universal health care, the Wall Street bailout, and expanded government powers to take private property. Trump’s own statements prove that our ads are accurate. They will continue to run. We suggest that Donald grow up, stop whining, and try to defend his liberal record.”
Oh, it's so much fun to watch them eat their own.
