LAWSUIT/NEW YORK/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WOMEN: “New York state’s highest court on Thursday [6-14-18] rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest bid to avoid potentially having to answer questions under oath in a defamation lawsuit by a former contestant on his television show ‘The Apprentice.’ The state’s Court of Appeals dismissed Trump’s request to halt Summer Zervos’ lawsuit for calling her a liar after she accused him of sexual misconduct. It said the underlying ruling from which Trump was appealing was not a final ruling, warranting the appeal’s dismissal. Trump and his lawyer Marc Kasowitz have argued that the U.S. Constitution deprives state courts of jurisdiction over sitting presidents, and that Trump is immune from lawsuits over private conduct predating his entering the White House. Thursday’s order marked the third time Trump failed to end Zervos’ lawsuit or at least delay it until after he left office. Emily Thall, a spokeswoman for Kasowitz, said Thursday’s order was on ‘purely procedural grounds’ and did not address the merits of Trump’s case.”
-Jonathan Stempel, “New York court dismisses Trump appeal in ‘Apprentice’ contestant’s lawsuit,” Reuters, June 14, 2018 11:27 am