Tabs to Start the Week
Steven L. Taylor
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Monday, April 20, 2026
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13 comments
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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Patel says he’s suing The Atlantic over that article.
@CSK: Ka$h is following the Trump Playbook – counter every (very likely to be true) allegation with a threat to sue, hoping the medium reporting the allegation will run away, hysterically begging for forgiveness. Trump should have long ago been declared a vexatious litigator based on his voluminous filing of frivolous lawsuits….lawsuits that waste the time of the court, and cost the defendant legal expenses. Patel wants to get Daddy’s approval and, as the Atlantic report documented, is in dreadful fear of being fired.
@Charley in Cleveland:
Remember when Trump said he loved suing writers because it only cost him a few dollars and bankrupted them?
@CSK:
I suspect that the Atlantic’s attorneys will be licking their lips about deposing Patel’s associates about his behavior.
How are you doing?
@CSK:
The irony is that almost literally the same is true of Iran with the Strait of Hormuz. It costs them little to close it*, yet causes great economic damage to the US, it’s nominal allies, and the rest of the world.
I wonder what he did to piss off Eris. I mean, he’s pissed off nearly everyone else, but there must be something the Goddess took personally.
*Basically they just declare they’ll shoot at any ships passing through. A large majority won’t take the chance, and they only need to fire at a one or two who dare the passage without permission.
@CSK: It’s official – Ka$h has sued The Atlantic, with a prayer* of $250-million. Next up, The Atlantic’s motion to dismiss, Patel’s appeal if the motion is granted, with the concomitant fervent hope that Trump-appointed appellate judges throw him a lifeline, and then Patel’s own voluntary dismissal when he gets the first round of discovery from the magazine. Exhibit A – Patel pounding beers with the USA Olympic hockey team while on “official business” in Italy.
*”prayer” is the legal term for the amount of damages a litigant wants the court to award. Absent a firm figure from, for example, a contract, the prayer is a number that is pulled out of thin air and intended to intimidate the other party and/or garner media attention.
@Charley in Cleveland: Not that you are wrong, but there is another reason for a lawsuit like Patel’s. If you don’t sue, you are admitting the story is correct. At least in terms of public relations.
So the pattern is this. Damaging material comes out. Target sues for defamation. Public attention moves on. Target drops suit.
If you have the money to burn, you stay with it longer. But that risks drawing more attention, because remember, the allegations are actually true, and if it gets into court that will become the headline.
I think Trump is posturing. He loves to act scary.
@Sleeping Dog:
Coming along, thank you. I still tire easily.
You know, as a Californian, I laugh myself silly at headlines saying gas prices will stay above 3 bucks.
I mean, they will. That’s gonna happen.
@CSK:
It takes a while, your body went through a lot of stress plus being incapacitated.
Hang in there and you can run the marathon next year.
@Jay L. Gischer: “If you don’t sue, you are admitting the story is correct. At least in terms of public relations.”
It is a sad commentary on our society that such a statement appears to be true, and I think we all know the congenital liar in the Oval Office has played a huge role in making it so. Trump sues for defamation at the drop of a hat, per that theory, and largely because it doesn’t really cost HIM any money. For years he has raised money from the rubes for his slush, er, legal fund so incompetent, but telegenic lawyers like Alina Habba can collect $800/hr. But you’re right, Jay, in that Patel keeps this ball in the air at his own peril.
@Charley in Cleveland: If Patel did nothing, this would be a one day story. Now it is a headline story. Patel turned it into a Lose-Lose.
Re, Klaus Barbie’s former jet. Is anyone surprised a so-called administration headed by a sexual predator is keeping the fuck plane?