Federal Court Orders Trump to Pay $1 Million Fine

A federal court on Wednesday ruled that President Donald Trump and his former attorney Alina Habba are responsible for a nearly $1 million penalty tied to their lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and James Comey, as well as several other defendants.

The court described it as a "frivolous" lawsuit, which Trump filed in 2022 in connection to Russian collusion allegations. The lawsuit also named also Sen. Adam Schiff and former Federal Bureau of Investigation officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, and about 20 others.

Trump claimed they "maliciously conspired to weave a false narrative" that he was colluding with Russia ahead of the 2016 presidential election. He said they violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and Florida law.

The complaint was dismissed with prejudice in 2023 by Judge Donald Middlebrooks, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton. Middlebrooks previously blasted Trump and Habba for creating what he described as a "frivolous," bad-faith lawsuit that "never should have been filed."

The $1 million penalty was first issued during that time, which prompted an appeal from Trump and Habba. Now, they have to pay upwards of $937,989 in fees and costs, which will be split among the people who were named in the lawsuit.

The ruling comes after federal judge on Monday dismissed separate criminal cases against Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluding that the prosecutor who brought the charges at Trump’s urging was illegally appointed by the Justice Department.

Habba is now serving as the acting attorney for the District of New Jersey.