>> Continued From the Previous Page <<
“A reasonable jury could interpret Stephanopoulos’s statements as defamatory,” Judge Altonaga elaborated. “Stephanopoulos’s exchange with Mace lasted about ten minutes, during which Stephanopoulos stated ten times that a jury — or juries — had found Plaintiff liable for rape.”
Last year, a Manhattan federal jury determined that former President Trump sexually abused Carroll, holding him liable for battery. However, the jury did not conclude that Carroll had proven her claim that Trump raped her. Trump celebrated the ruling on Truth Social, saying, “A big win today in the high Florida court against ABC fake news, and Liddle’ George Slopadopolus. A powerful case! Before you know it, the fake news media will be forced by the courts to start telling the truth. This is a great day for our country. MAGA 2024!”
The defamation lawsuit centers on Stephanopoulos’s March interview with Rep. Mace, during which he repeatedly claimed, a total of ten times, that a jury had found Trump liable for rape.
“It was not a criminal court,” Mace corrected Stephanopoulos. “This was a civil court. And by the way, she [E. Jean Carroll] joked about the judgment and what she was going to do with all that money and I find that offensive.” Mace added, “But as a rape victim who’s been shamed for years now because of her rape, you’re trying to shame me again by asking me this political question.”
Judge Altonaga clarified, “New York has opted to separate the crime of rape. Stephanopoulos’s statements dealt not with the public’s usage of that term, but the jury’s consideration of it during a formal legal proceeding.”
Carry 46 rounds concealed? (comfortably)
As Trump gears up for his 2024 presidential campaign, he can now proceed with his legal case against ABC News and Stephanopoulos, bolstered by this recent judicial decision. This lawsuit is likely to keep the spotlight on the contentious relationship between Trump and the media, with significant implications for both parties involved.
