E. Jean Carroll adds Trump’s post-verdict remarks to defamation case, seeks at least $10M
PBS NewsHourDec 25, 2022
The Facts
On Monday, writer E. Jean Carroll filed an amendment to her 2019 defamation lawsuit against former Pres. Donald Trump, seeking a further $10M in damages over comments he made during a CNN televised town hall on May 10.
Earlier this month, a day before the town hall, a New York jury awarded Carroll $5M in her 2022 suit when it found that Trump sexually abused her in a department store changing room in the 1990s.
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
Carroll is merely out for another pound of flesh while flippantly projecting her crusade as a vindication of all women who have experienced sexual assault. If this were really the case, the focus would turn to Biden, who faces similar accusations from a former Democratic aide in 1993 but has yet to face repercussions for them.
Anti-Trump narrative
Trump’s legal problems keep piling up. Not only did the former president appear virtually in court this week on 34 potential felonies, but his continued defamation of Carroll has landed him into further hot water. Unsurprisingly, Trump has reacted to the matter by defaming Carroll even further, which could lead to more financial damages.