Thread by @MarkSZaidEsq

1/Thread abt #Grenell lawsuit against @OliviaTroye.

Today we (#TomCraig, @TMCv63, @fhhfirm) were scheduled to depose fmr Acting @ODNIgov & US Amb to Germany #RickGrenell as part of his defamation lawsuit against our GOP client #Troye.

We were there. He did not show.

2/Background info abt #Grenell’s litigation, which was filed almost year ago, can be found in this previous thread:

https://twitter.com/MarkSZaidEsq/status/1564617997221863435

3/After weeks of failed attempts to negotiate mutual date, which is what professionals do, we properly issued Notice of Deposition on May 30 for today. Even though #Grenell is Plaintiff & chose VA as his venue, he does not wish to travel from CA for his deposition.

4/Instead, he wishes to be deposed virtually, which is not an option. This case is in VA & we will require him to be present here, as is our client’s right.

I ask any VA Attny to identify any provision in City of Alexandria code or VA state law that says otherwise.

5/#Grenell’s lawyer Jesse Binnall (only fair to link him in thread - @jbinnall), who also (not coincidentally) happens to be #DonaldTrump’s Attny, admittedly immediately informed us he would file for a Protective Order.

6/But then Binnall waited over two weeks until COB June 16, not even 24 business hours before deposition (given June 19 holiday), to do so. Court arguments won’t even be held until end of July. Discovery closes Sept 1. The trial is scheduled for Oct 23 of this year!

7/Amazingly, #Grenell has not even actively pursued deposition of our client!! We provided multiple dates that she would be available but each time they disappear & never try to schedule anything.

8/In 30 years of litigation, I have never seen a Plaintiff – who chose to file a lawsuit – do literally nothing to prosecute their case.

It raises the question of why bring case in first place?

9/Perhaps bc this effort against #Troye is part of strategy pursued by #KashPatel to intimidate #NeverTrumpers (especially from w/i GOP - Troye was former senior staffer for VP Pence) & fundraise from their MAGA base.

10/Indeed, #Patel has been fundraising online since #Grenell filed lawsuit. That is why we have also subpoenaed #Patel, or rep of his non-profit foundation, to appear for deposition on June 30. We have been told he will move to quash subpoena bc it is irrelevant.

11/Yet back in March, at CPAC conference, @jbinnall, who is on #Patel’s charity’s board, acknowledged to @abcnews that Patel’s charity was funding #Grenell’s lawsuit.

abcnews.go.com/US/trump-loyal…

12/Any good lawyer will tell you that conversations btwn #Grenell & #Patel abt the #Troye litigation are very relevant. Announcements were drafted as to their perceived view of case for fundraising purposes. What was put in writing? Verbal? Were damages ever discussed?

13/How much money has been raised & paid to #Grenell or his lawyers? Does this offset any damages? #Grenell, without proof, claims he suffered $5 million!

Or was this just #MAGA fundraising scheme?

14/What are they hiding? Why isn’t #Grenell aggressively pursuing his own lawsuit?

Seems a fair question to ask. Any lawyers should feel free to chime in here.

15/Regardless, we are ready to continue to defend Troye against this blatant intimidation attempt. And @OliviaTroye is prepared to fight to the end:

https://twitter.com/OliviaTroye/status/1564621811001720839

END/You can help our efforts by donating here:

gofundme.com/f/olivia-troye….

Every dollar helps, especially as we prepare to take this case to trial!