After Stiffing Paint Co., Trump Doral Ordered To Pay Hundreds Of Thousands

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo




By MATT SHUHAM Published APRIL 13, 2017, 5:12 PM EDT

A state appeals court in Florida on Thursday affirmed a circuit court’s decision to order Trump National Doral Miami golf resort to pay a small paint company and its attorney hundreds of thousands of dollars after failing to pay a tenth of that for paint and other materials during a renovation project.

Lawyer fees — in addition to the initial missing payment of $32,535.87 — were originally awarded to The Paint Spot, a local store nearby Trump National, in July 2016, as reported by the Miami Herald. Circuit Court Judge Jorge Cueto applied a 75 percent additional fee on top of the attorney Daniel Vega’s billed time as well, because his firm, Taylor Espino Vega & Touron, had taken the case on a contingency fee basis. The total at the time was $282,949.91.

But the Trump Organization appealed the decision, alleging that the paint company had filed a construction lien incorrectly, naming a contractor who had worked on a separate project. On Wednesday, Florida’s Third District Court of Appeals ruled that “Trump failed to establish that it was adversely affected by the error.”

The court also pointed to an unfortunate bit of testimony from contractor Straticon’s construction manager, Jamie Gram.

-snip-

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-national-doral-miami-paint-lawyers-fees

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Trump voters simply ADORE him when he destroys little people, in this case

he had to pay a price but dont doubt what I said for a minute.

Well, until he destroys THEM.

[Angry Dragon]

2. GOOD

[MiniMe]

3. Good, serves him right

Pay your contractors

[NCjack]

4. Fools contract with Trump. nt

[sdfernando]

5. So Trump's business model is

to not pay 32,000...try to litigate to death and then pay out 283,000....I see a flaw in his business plan.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. The business model supposes most little people won't litigate or can't stand years of litigation. nt

[progressoid]

7. Sadly, that has worked for him in the past.

Glad this paint company didn't back down.

[Major Nikon]

12. AKA theft of services

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theft_of_services

[smirkymonkey]

8. Given his reputation, why would anyone in their right mind contract with him?

I am not by any means blaming his victims - I am disgusted that he has stiffed them. But I just can't understand how is still able to find people to do work for him. This is not a secret, it is widely known. This is the kind of thing that can bankrupt a small business. Even if you are desperate for work, once you pay for supplies and labor, you are going to be even more in the hole once he refuses to pay.

[erronis]

10. And by extension: Why would anyone trust this SOB to do anything right?

My apologies to all the other SOBs who can't be anywhere as bad as this SOB. The baddest!

He can't demonstrate any business ability other than to manipulate, lawyer-to-death, steal, lie, cheat, etc.

He ain't good looking (altho some Russki's may say good lickin.)

He has a voice that grates, a persona that sucks, a vibe that doesn't.

Why would anyone trust this SOB at all?

Maybe no one has. Maybe every contract/deal/vote that he has was legalese BS / mafia enforces / fraudulent.

Every day I wish for a tell-all account from one of his "bosom" buddies (ex-wives, children) - released shortly before their "untimely" death.

[madokie]

16. I have a feeling that going forward

now that this has made national news there won't be many willing to deal with him in the future.

fuck tRump with a rusty railroad spike sideways and upside down

The worst pResident this country has ever experienced. And we're barely into the third month of a possible 48

[SharonAnn]

18. Bill Clinton said Hillary's biggest supporters were those

Bill Clinton said Hillary's biggest supporters were those who'd worked with her or done business with Trump

[smirkymonkey]

20. Is there anybody left that he HASN'T screwed over in one way or another?

How stupid can people be?

[Achilleaze]

9. Why would anyone do business with this republican?

I mean he lies, he cheats, and he stiffs workers all the time.

The republican Tax-&-Draft Dodger-in-chief has a long, sordid record of business malfeasance.

And the republican party puts him out there as their freaking "family values" role model. What horseshit.

You'd have to be a complete Masochistic Horse's Ass (MHA) to do business with Comrade Casino and his republican cronies.

[erronis]

11. I like your post almost as much as my own (#10)

But yours has a great picture of the fearless leader's head. I hate to think what the butt looks like (gag!).

[Vogon_Glory]

14. I'd thought the same before November

Much of his support here in Texas came from the same sort of small businessmen and private contractors that he'd stiffed repeatedly over the years. I'd THOUGHT that even if they believed in the (rooster) and (he-cow) myth of "Wicked Hillary," they'd at least have enough horse-sense to be wary of Donnie. But no, they they go off and vote for him anyway.

Well, a few of them are only now beginning to gather some wisdom. But a lot of the rest of us are going to have to suffer much before they wise up.

[pansypoo53219]

13. but NATO members must pay.

[bpj62]

15. Mechanics Lien

Fortunately the paint company was protected by the Mechanic Lien laws in Florida. They filed a lien in the county land records and then they filed a suit and prevailed. Trump will.not be able to finance or sell this property until.he pays off the judgment that has been placed against the property. This was a stupid move on his part because his appeal wasnt based on any merits it was based on an error that occurs all the time. What a dirt bag this guy really is. I support the forgotten american except for when I owe them money. In that case I will disparage thier work and then try to drive them to the poor house through legal fees. I like the fact that the judge recognized the tactic and added the plaintiffs attorney fees to the judgment. Good luck trying to get this overturned. Mechanic Lien laws are pretty well established laws throughout the Unites States.. I bet Trump fired somebody today.

[zentrum]

17. It's amazing how

.....he'll nickel and dime the little guy. These are paltry sums for a supposed billionaire.

His attitude when it comes time to pay contractors is "So? Sue me!" Because he knows that they can't afford the hours of lawyer fees it will take to fight him.

But doesn't he have to pay his own lawyers a lot to do this? Its like he does it for spite.

[riversedge]

19. " The result is a massive bill for a relatively small disagreement over paint."

.....The court also pointed to an unfortunate bit of testimony from contractor Straticon’s construction manager, Jamie Gram.

“[T]he decision not to pay [Paint Spot] had nothing to do with a defective Notice to Owner,” Gram said, according to the decision. “They weren’t paid because Mr. Trump had already paid [subcontractor] M&P a decent amount of money of the contract … and there was still a lot of work that needed to be completed, so we used the money, M&P’s remaining balance, plus additional funds to pay to get the work done.”

Vega told Daily Business Review on Thursday that he expected the appeals court legal fees to be similarly multiplied by 1.75.

The result is a massive bill for a relatively small disagreement over paint.

[keithbvadu2]

21. The art of negotiation --- Cheat the working man

[truthisfreedom]

22. Sniffing?