Former President Donald J. Trump filed a defamation lawsuit against ABC News on Monday, arguing that anchor George Stephanopoulos damaged his reputation by repeatedly saying on television that Mr. Trump was responsible for the rape of writer E. Jean Carroll had been made.
A jury found Mr. Trump guilty of sexual abuse and defamation of Ms. Carroll in a civil trial in Manhattan last year, but did not find the former president guilty of rape. However, the judge later clarified that because of New York’s narrow legal definition of “rape,” the jury’s finding did not mean that Ms. Carroll “could not prove that Mr. Trump ‘raped’ her, as many people use the word in general terms.” understand ‘rape.'”
Mr. Stephanopoulos, who was named as a co-defendant, said Mr. Trump was accused of rape during a controversial March 10 interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, Republican of South Carolina. During the interview, Mr. Stephanopoulos asked Ms. Mace, who has spoken publicly about being raped as a teenager, why she continued to support Mr. Trump given the outcome of the civil case.
Mr. Trump, who often galvanizes his supporters by attacking the press, has filed a series of unsuccessful libel lawsuits against major media organizations. Federal judges have dismissed his lawsuits against CNN, the New York Times and the Washington Post.
ABC News had no comment Monday. Mr. Trump’s lawsuit was filed in federal court in the Southern District of Florida.
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2024-03-19 03:17:40
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