Another Strike of the Clapper

... Simon & Schuster was an agent of Mary’s, and so the court ordered the TRO vacated as to S&S.

And that means we’re going to see the book, because S&S was already printing the book and now there’s nothing to stop it from printing more copies and distributing them.

— George Conway (@gtconway3d) July 2, 2020

I mentioned before that "agency" doesn't work that well with publishers and authors. I'd go so far as to say it's much closer to an independent contractor relationship than not.  The author submits the book and gets paid per a contract, but the publisher distributes the book on the publisher's schedule and at the publisher's discretion.  There may be some binding requirements in the contract, but the contract doesn't establish the control an agency relationship envisions in the law.

Looks like the Appellate Division in New York State agrees with me.  Or near enough for dammit.

Now, as Mr. Conway notes, the book gets published.  I don't see how a contempt of court charge could be pressed against Mary Trump; the Appellate Division has already shredded the agency relationship, she has no control over publication at this point.  Her lawyers promises to mount a strong defense:

And we will show tomorrow in our brief that this 20-year old agreement is irrelevant, expired, void and unenforceable.

— Ted Boutrous (@BoutrousTed) July 2, 2020

And the facts there will be interesting; if you're interested.

Me, I'm not that interested.  I don't think this book does anything in politics besides ring Trump's bell one more time.  Will it convince anyone he is not who they think he is?  I doubt it.  It will be one more nail in the coffin of Trump's reputation, which has to be radioactive by now, and will be absolutely toxic when he leaves office.  He may "retire" to the sycophants who pay too much to enter Mar-A-Lago, but if he tries to live there the State of Florida will be after him for taxes he insists he can't afford; and I suspect the glamor of Trump won't last long, especially if President Biden has the good sense to allow the DOJ to investigate the many crimes Trump committed in the last four years.  Even if he doesn't, New York State is going to be interested.

Trump spent all his life hiding who he was and making up a story to sell people.  Those days are over.  His hubris, his conviction he was invisible and bulletproof, have been his undoing.  He will live out his life a figure of ridicule, and possibly impoverished if the criminal actions against him are pursued.  In that torrent of shit, will this book from his neice do more than add insult to injury?

Maybe it will bring her some measure of peace.  That, at least, would be good.