Court denies ABC’s bid to dismiss Trump’s defamation lawsuit

Jul 25

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)

Former President Donald Trump celebrated a significant legal victory Wednesday, July 24, when a Florida judge refused to dismiss his defamation lawsuit against ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos. The lawsuit originated from an interview with GOP Rep. Nancy Mace, during which Stephanopoulos repeatedly claimed Trump was liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.

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In May 2023, however, a court found that Trump was not liable for rape but he was liable for sexual assault and defamation, awarding Carroll $5 million in damages. She had accused Trump of raping her in a New York City department store in the 1990s.

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Trump’s legal team argues that Stephanopoulos’ statements were made with actual malice or reckless disregard for the truth, especially since the jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse, not rape. This distinction has fueled Trump’s claims of defamation.

The ruling allows Trump to continue with his lawsuit, which he has touted as a major triumph over what he calls “ABC Fake News.”

A BIG WIN TODAY IN 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. MAGA2024!@realDonaldTrump Donald…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) July 24, 2024

The decision comes just before ABC News is scheduled to host a presidential debate on Sept. 10 between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee. While Trump initially agreed to participate, he has recently raised concerns about ABC’s suitability as the host and suggested that Fox News might be a better choice.

Tags: ABC, Defamation, Defamation Lawsuit, Defamation trial, Donald Trump, Fox, Fox News, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Nancy Mace

[KARAH RUCKER]
FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP CELEBRATED A SIGNIFICANT LEGAL VICTORY WEDNESDAY AFTER A FLORIDA JUDGE REFUSED TO DISMISS HIS DEFAMATION LAWSUIT AGAINST ABC NEWS AND ANCHOR GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS.

THE SUIT STEMS FROM A CONTENTIOUS INTERVIEW WITH GOP REPRESENTATIVE NANCY MACE IN MARCH, WHERE STEPHANOPOULOS REPEATEDLY CLAIMED TRUMP WAS LIABLE FOR RAPING WRITER E. JEAN CARROLL.

STEPHANOPOULOS
“I’m asking you a very simple question

MACE
And I answered it. You are shaming me for my political choices.

STEPHANOPOULOS
I’m asking you a question about why you endorsed someone who has been found liable for rape. Just answer the question.

MACE
It was not a criminal court.

STEPHANOPOULOS
This was a civil court who found him liable for rape.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

HOWEVER, IN MAY 2023, A COURT RULED THAT TRUMP WAS LIABLE NOT FOR RAPE BUT FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND DEFAMATION, AWARDING CARROLL $5 MILLION IN DAMAGES. SHE HAD ACCUSED TRUMP OF RAPING HER IN A NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT STORE IN THE 1990S.

TRUMP’S LEGAL TEAM CONTENDS STEPHANOPOULOS’ STATEMENTS WERE MADE “WITH ACTUAL MALICE OR WITH A RECKLESS DISREGARD FOR THE TRUTH”

WEDNESDAY’S RULING ALLOWS TRUMP TO PRESS FORWARD WITH HIS LAWSUIT, A DEVELOPMENT HE HAS TOUTED AS A MAJOR TRIUMPH OVER WHAT HE CALLS “ABC FAKE NEWS.”

THE DECISION COMES AT A CRITICAL TIME, JUST WEEKS BEFORE ABC NEWS IS SCHEDULED TO HOST A PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE ON SEPTEMBER 10 BETWEEN TRUMP AND VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS, THE PRESUMPTIVE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE. WHILE TRUMP INITIALLY AGREED TO PARTICIPATE WHEN PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN WAS THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE, HE HAS RECENTLY QUESTIONED ABC’S SUITABILITY AS HOST AND SUGGESTED THAT FOX NEWS MIGHT BE A MORE APPROPRIATE CHOICE.

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