Trump sues ex-British spy over dossier containing ‘shocking and scandalous claims’

LONDON — A lawyer for Donald Trump told a London judge Monday the ex-president plans to prove that “shocking and scandalous claims” about him in a largely discredited report by a former British spy were false and harmed his reputation. Trump “suffered personal and reputational damage and distress” because his data protection rights were violated, attorney Hugh Tomlinson said. Tomlinson said it “contained shocking and scandalous claims about the personal conduct of President Trump” and included allegations he paid bribes to Russian officials to further his business interests. In a written witness statement, Trump said that despite Steele’s assertions the allegations have not been disproven, they were “wholly untrue.” Trump said he had not engaged in “perverted sexual behavior including the hiring of prostitutes. Orbis attorney Antony White said Trump has a “deep and intense animus against” Steele and the firm and a “a long history of repeatedly bringing frivolous, meritless and vexatious claims for the purpose of vexing and harassing perceived enemies and others against whom he bears a grudge.” Trump had called for Steele to be “extradited, tried, and thrown into jail” and has called him a “lowlife” and “sleazebag” involved in the “Russian collusion hoax” who produced “a total phony con job” dossier, White said in a court filing.