Trump Drops Maher Lawsuit, Plans to Re-File Amended Lawsuit
Real estate mogul Donald Trump revealed that he is withdrawing his $5 million lawsuit against comedian Bill Maher over a tongue-in-cheek bet the comic made with Trump.
Maher had previously offered a $5 million donation to the charity of Trump's choice if Trump proved that he was not a "spawn of his mother having sex with an orangutan"- an allegation Maher made during an appearance on late night television in light of the "birther" conspiracy.
Los Angeles Superior Court records detail that Trump requested the lawsuit be dismissed without prejudice on Friday roughly eight weeks after initially filling the lawsuit.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Since he asked the lawsuit be dismissed without prejudice, Trump will be able to re-file the lawsuit at a later date. Trump's spokesman, Michael Cohen, revealed in a statement that Trump does plan on re-filing an amended version of the lawsuit sometime later this year.
Cohen did decline repeat questions regarding the reason for the withdrawal as well as other related questions to the lawsuit.
Maher's bet was in response to repeated attempts by the real estate mogul to have President Obama prove that he is legally allowed to be president after rumors spread insisting he was not born in America.
Trump, along with many others, were part of the "birther" movement, which cast doubts over Obama's birth in Hawaii- some believed he was born in Kenya, like some his relatives.
"I have a deal for the president. If Barack Obama opens up and gives his college records and applications and if he gives his passport applications and records I will give to a charity of his choice- inner-city children in Chicago, American Cancer Society, AIDS research, anything he wants- a check immediately for $5 million," Trump said before the election in a video posted on YouTube.
Both the President and Maher made light of his demands in separate appearances on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno after the video was posted. The President joked that he has known Trump since "we were growing up together in Kenya."
