It’s tempting to assume Donald Trump would have plenty to occupy his time right now: choosing a running mate, preparing for his national nomination convention that begins in five days, trying to close the gap against Hillary Clinton, etc.
But as it turns out, the Republican candidate has also found the time to focus on filing a new lawsuit.
Donald Trump is seeking $10 million from a former aide he accused of leaking confidential information about a public spat between two senior campaign staffers, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.Trump claimed that fired campaign consultant Sam Nunberg went to the press with confidential information in violation of a nondisclosure agreement, which the real estate mogul requires nearly all staffers for his campaign and businesses to sign.
Even by this campaign’s standards, it’s an odd story. Nunberg was fired last summer for publishing racist messages via social media. He then allegedly leaked word of an affair between two Trump campaign staffers. This leak, Team Trump believes, was a breach of the non-disclosure agreement Nunberg signed.
Which brings us to today’s court filing.
The Washington Post‘s Robert Costa added that Trump reportedly “decided to file a lawsuit in the middle of a general-election campaign because he’s furious” with Nunberg.
But that’s not much of an explanation. Donald Trump is scheduled to receive a major-party presidential nomination literally next week. He’s announcing his running mate in two days. Whether he’s furious with Nunberg over campaign gossip or not, it’s not unreasonable to think Trump should have some impulse control.
As for the larger context, Trump’s entire political operation too often resembles a dysfunctional circus. Let’s not forget that the GOP candidate fired his campaign manager less than a month ago, and he’s parted ways with several other top aides since.
One senior aide was let go after less than three weeks on the job, while another was given the boot after less than three days.
For months, Trump’s campaign staff has earned a reputation for amateurish infighting, high turnover, and a complete lack of direction. I suspect the typical American voter will not know or care about any of this, but it matters: a national candidate who can’t run a credible campaign operation will struggle to oversee a competent White House operation.
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Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."