Donald Trump held a press conference in New York on Friday following a court appearance during which his lawyers argued that a $5 million verdict finding him liable of sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996 should be overturned. The court hearing and press conference took place ahead of a planned trip to the battleground state of North Carolina, where Trump will address a meeting of the Fraternal Order of Police as he tries to portray himself as tougher on crime than his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, in the campaign’s closing months.
Quick Read
- Donald Trump held a press conference in New York on Friday, criticizing the $5 million verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996, calling the allegations “made-up” and “fabricated.”
- Trump continues to deny the assault, claiming he never met Carroll and accusing her of inventing the story to promote her book, inspired by a “Law and Order” episode.
- Trump risks facing further defamation lawsuits from Carroll, as she has previously won large verdicts, and her lawyer has warned of potential future legal action if Trump continues to make similar statements.
- Trump’s press conference followed a court appearance where his legal team attempted to overturn the verdict, with Trump quietly reacting to parts of the hearing but not engaging with Carroll directly.
- Donald Trump appeared in court on Friday, as his lawyers argued to overturn the $5 million verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll in 1996.
- Trump is staying in the public eye with a press conference in New York after the hearing, reflecting his contrasting campaign style to Vice President Kamala Harris, who is preparing privately for their Tuesday debate.
- In the Carroll case, Trump’s legal team claims certain evidence was wrongly allowed during the trial, while some that should have been admitted was excluded. Trump denies the allegations.
- Trump, who did not attend the Carroll trial, is also facing other legal cases, including criminal charges related to hush money payments and civil fines for lying about his wealth.
- Later on Friday, Trump will travel to North Carolina to address the Fraternal Order of Police.
The Associated Press has the story:
Trump holds press conference, blasts verdict in Carroll sexual abuse case
Newslooks NEW YORK- (AP)
Donald Trump held a press conference in New York on Friday following a court appearance during which his lawyers argued that a $5 million verdict finding him liable of sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996 should be overturned. The court hearing and press conference took place ahead of a planned trip to the battleground state of North Carolina, where Trump will address a meeting of the Fraternal Order of Police as he tries to portray himself as tougher on crime than his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, in the campaign’s closing months.
Here’s the latest:
Trump criticizes verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing a columnist in 1996
In a press conference in New York on Friday, former President Donald Trump criticized a verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing a columnist in 1996 and repeated that he never met, touched or would have had any interest in the woman who brought the lawsuit against him. “It’s an appeal of a ridiculous verdict of a woman I have never met,” he said. “I have no idea who she is,” he said.
Trump claimed E. Jean Carroll fabricated the story inspired by a “Law and Order” episode. “It’s so false. It’s a made-up, fabricated story by somebody, I think, initially, just looking to promote a book,” he added.
FACT CHECK: Every time Trump denies that he sexually assaulted columnist, he runs the risk that she’ll sue again for defamation
Every time Trump denies that he sexually assaulted E. Jean Carroll, he runs the risk she will sue him again for defamation. Juries now have twice awarded Carroll huge sums for claiming she made up a story about him attacking her in a department store dressing room in 1996 to help her sell a memoir.
But that hasn’t stopped Trump from continuing to make nearly identical statements to reporters. At his news briefing Friday, he said again that Carroll was telling a “made-up, fabricated story.” Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, warned in March after a jury awarded Carroll another $83 million that she would continue to monitor Trump’s comments and would consider suing again if he kept it up.
Trump appears in court as his lawyers try to overturn verdict in sex abuse suit
NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump appeared in court on Friday as his team tries to overturn a verdict finding him liable for sexual abuse and slander. Trump walked in quietly and passed right in front of writer E. Jean Carroll, who brought the lawsuit against him, and did not acknowledge or look at her.
Trump reacted at times such as shaking his head when Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, said that Trump sexually assaulted her client. He would tilt his head from side to side periodically but otherwise sat still and mostly alone. When the hearing concluded, Trump stood up and his lawyers approached him briefly. He did not appear to say anything, then looked up and stood for a few moments before walking out of the courtroom. Trump is appearing in court on Friday, then holding a press conference afterward, as his lawyers argue that a $5 million verdict finding him liable of sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996 should be overturned.
It’s part of the sharply different approaches Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are taking before their Tuesday debate: The former president is staying in the public eye while Harris prepares in private with her advisers in Pittsburgh. That’s a reflection of their divergent campaign styles, with Trump frequently engaging with reporters — albeit often in friendly settings — while Harris has done just one interview and no press conferences since taking President Joe Biden’s place atop the Democratic ticket. Trump plans to speak to reporters at his namesake tower in midtown New York after hearing appeal arguments in the Carroll case. He walked in quietly and passed in front of Carroll without acknowledging or looking at her.
The former president reacted at times during the proceedings, such as shaking his head when Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, said that Trump sexually assaulted her client. He would tilt his head from side to side periodically, but otherwise sat still and mostly alone. A Manhattan jury in May found Trump responsible for sexual abuse. Carroll says Trump attacked her in a department store dressing room, but the former president’s legal team says the verdict should be overturned because some evidence that was allowed during the trial should have been excluded while other evidence that should be excluded was allowed. He denies guilt.
In the midst of running for president and facing a series of other legal cases against him, Trump did not attend the Carroll trial and wasn’t there when the charges were read — though he assailed the verdict as “a disgrace” on his social media site. Later Friday, he’s traveling to Charlotte, North Carolina, to address the Fraternal Order of Police.
Carroll was one of more than a dozen women who have accused Trump of sexual assault or harassment. She went public in a 2019 memoir. Trump denied it, saying he never encountered Carroll at the store and did not know her. He has called her a “nut job” who invented her story to sell a memoir. Trump faces unprecedented criminal and civil jeopardy for a major-party nominee.
He has separately been convicted on 34 felony counts in a New York state case related to hush money payments allegedly made to a porn actor. The judge in that case is expected to decide Friday whether to postpone Trump’s sentencing. Trump has also been ordered to pay steep civil fines for lying about his wealth for years. And he’s still contending with cases alleging his mishandling of classified documents, his actions after the 2020 election and his activities during the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 — though none are likely to go to trial prior to Election Day.
