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Trump's Lawyer Faces Scrutiny for Allegedly False Claims

2/9/2026

45 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump was the subject of a filing when his lawyer Justin D. Smith submitted allegedly false information to Supreme Court to discredit E. Jean Carroll.
Smith claimed Carroll's allegations matched a Law & Order: SVU plot, though episode differs.
Carroll's claim produced a $5 million judgment against Trump for sexual abuse and defamation.
False statements to the federal government can bring at most five years in prison.

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Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump was the subject of a filing when his lawyer Justin D. Smith submitted allegedly false information to Supreme Court to discredit E. Jean Carroll.
Smith claimed Carroll's allegations matched a Law & Order: SVU plot, though episode differs.
Carroll's claim produced a $5 million judgment against Trump for sexual abuse and defamation.
False statements to the federal government can bring at most five years in prison.