Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and a major donor to Democratic Party causes, says DOJ probe is payback for lawfully funding lawsuits against Trump

Reid Hoffman: DOJ probe is retaliation for funding lawsuits against Trump (Reuters)

Donald Trump's word isn't worth much, but when he says he will seek prosecutions of his political enemies, you apparently can take it to the bank. That doesn't mean Trump is on the right side of the law because he hardly ever is in that position. In fact, his latest actions -- which started with reports that he was going after E. Jean Carroll, the woman who successfully sued him for sexual abuse and defamation -- are classic examples of vindictive prosecutions. Such cases, lacking probable cause, are subject to being dismissed -- and if we still had a functioning democracy, probably would present grounds to have Trump impeached or forcibly removed from office (preferably the latter). With spineless Republicans in charge of Congress, that is not likely to happen.  But we see signs that Trump has misread the Carroll situation, and this is one firefight he might regret starting.

Targeting Carroll -- who a New York judge found was the victim of a Trumpian rape, as that word is commonly understood -- was a bad enough look for the president. But by going after her, Trump drew Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn (with other business ties to Microsoft, PayPal, and Greylock Partners) into the fray.

How did that happen? In the course of filing two lawsuits against Trump, with her winning both and  receiving more than $88 million in damages, it became public that a nonprofit tied to Hoffman helped fund Carroll's lawsuit. That is an example of Third Party Litigation Funding (TPLF), which is common, and perfectly legal, in the United States. Still, Trump seems determined to somehow tie Carroll or (more likely) Hoffman to some kind of criminal activity -- real or imagined. It should be noted that both Carroll and Hoffman, or their representatives, have spoken openly about the funding arrangement -- in court documents or published interviews -- so they clearly are not trying to hide anything. And with no one able to point to a federal statute or U.S. Supreme Court ruling that would make TPLF illegal across the country, it's hard to see how Trump or his flunkies in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) could make a criminal charge stick. But that doesn't mean they won't try.

Hoffman has an estimated net worth of $2.7 billion; that isn't Elon Musk money, but it is  enough to give Hoffman a substantial base of power as one of the nation's largest donors to Democratic causes. Based on statements he released late last week, Hoffman does not appear to be in the mood to bow down to our would-be king/president. That suggests fireworks might commence before the latest case of Trump stepping in a legal cow pie is completed. In fact, Hoffman already has lit a few firecrackers and tossed them in Trump's direction, as we learn from a jointly published report at Business Insider and AOL. Under the headline "Reid Hoffman says reported DOJ investigation into his nonprofit that funded E. Jean Carroll case is 'retaliation," Ben Shimkus writes:

Reid Hoffman is accusing President Donald Trump of retaliation.

The LinkedIn cofounder and Democratic donor responded on Friday to reports that the Justice Department is investigating issues tied to his financial support for E. Jean Carroll's litigation against Trump, calling the scrutiny "absurdly false" and accusing the president of using the federal government to punish his critics.

"Trump cannot be allowed to use the full weight and power of the US Government to come after women who speak up, or anyone who supports them in doing so," Hoffman wrote in a five-part thread on X.

His comments came after multiple outlets reported that the DOJ opened a criminal investigation related to Carroll's civil lawsuits against Trump.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the department was investigating whether Carroll committed perjury. The Washington Post, Reuters, and other outlets reported that the probe was focused more specifically on American Future Republic, a nonprofit backed by Hoffman that helped fund some of Carroll's legal expenses.

Does Trump hold ill will toward Carroll and Hoffman for joining hands to resoundingly beat him in court? Probably so. Does that mean he has valid grounds for a criminal case against them? Probably not. Shimkus provides background:

Carroll, a writer and former advice columnist, won two civil judgments against Trump.

In 2023, a Manhattan federal jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation and awarded Carroll $5 million. In 2024, another jury ordered Trump to pay Carroll another $83.3 million for defaming her. Trump has repeatedly denied Carroll's allegations and appealed the judgments.

The reported scrutiny on Hoffman's nonprofit appears to center on a 2022 deposition in which Carroll said no one was paying her legal fees. Her lawyers later disclosed that funds from American Future Republic helped cover some litigation costs nearly a year after she filed the lawsuit.

Trump's lawyers argued that the disclosure showed Carroll had lied under oath; the judge overseeing Carroll's lawsuits ruled the funding had no bearing on her credibility and blocked questions about it at trial.

That probably will not be helpful to any case Trump might cause to be brought. And it strengthens Hoffman's claim that the president is unlawfully trying to punish him for helping Carroll bring her successful claims, Shimkus writes:

Hoffman framed the reported investigation as retaliation.

"He is investigating me because I supported E Jean's lawsuit — where a jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting her, and a court of appeals upheld the decision," Hoffman wrote. "Trump hopes that these fraudulent investigations will silence those who stand up to him. He is wrong. I will not bend the knee."