President Donald Trump has just American Broadcasting Company (ABC) and host George Stephanopoulos with a defamation lawsuit for promoting false claims about him.
Earlier this month, Stephanopoulos pushed false claims that Trump was “liable for rape” by two juries.
Stephanopoulos made the claim during a March 10 interview with Republican Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC).
In a shameful display, Stephanopoulos repeatedly stated that Trump was “found guilty of rape” as he pressed Mace during a heated back and forth.
Mace took offense at Stephanopoulos’ questions, arguing that he was trying to “shame” her over her “political choices” for endorsing Trump because the congresswoman is, herself, a rape victim.
However, Trump was not found “liable for rape” as Stephanopoulos falsely stated.
He was found liable for defamation and battery against author E. Jean Carroll in a civil case, not a criminal court.
Trump alleges Stephanopolous purposely made claims multiple times to defame him, according to the complaint filed in a federal court in Miami.
“You’ve endorsed Donald Trump for president,” Stephanopoulos said to Mace.
“Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape.
“How do you square your support for Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?”
“I will tell you that I was raped at the age of 16, and any rape victim will tell you I’ve lived for 30 years with an incredible amount of shame,” Mace responded.
“I didn’t come forward because of that judgment and shame that I felt, and it’s a shame that you will never feel, George.
“I’m not going to sit here on your show and be asked a question meant to shame me about another potential rape victim. I’m not going to do that,” Mace stated.
“It’s actually not about shaming you. It’s a question about Donald Trump,” Stephanopoulos pushed back.
“You are shaming me,” Mace pressed.
“You’ve endorsed Donald Trump for president,” Stephanopoulos responded.
“Donald Trump has been found liable for rape by a jury.
“Donald Trump has been found liable for defaming the victim of that rape by a jury.
“It’s been affirmed by a judge. He’s repeatedly —”
“It was not a criminal court case, number one,” Mace interjected.
“Number two, I live with shame, and you’re asking me a question about my political choices trying to shame me as a rape victim and I find it disgusting.
“And quite frankly, E. Jean Carroll’s comments, when she did get the judgment, joking about what she was going to buy, it doesn’t — it makes it harder for women to come forward when they make a mockery out of rape.
“When they joke about it. It’s not okay,” Mace stated.
“Doesn’t it make it harder for women to come forward when they’re defamed by presidential candidates?” Stephanopoulos questioned.
“It makes it harder when other women joke about it,” Mace pressed.
“And she’s joked about it. I find it offensive.”
While the two continued to go back and forth, Stephanopoulos refused to ease up on the congresswoman.
Instead, he dug into his stance that Trump was found guilty of raping Carroll, repeatedly pushing the false claim.
He continued by asking a producer to pull up a headline from the Washington Post.
“I just showed you the facts —” Stephanopoulos responded.
“You know better,” Mace repeated.
“You should’ve you’re very comfortable with what Donald Trump has done —” Stephanopoulos jabbed back.
“And what you’ve done is offensive to women who have been raped,” Mace stated.
“What you’ve done this morning is offensive.”
“We’ll let the viewers decide about that,” Stephanopoulos stated.
WATCH:
In the complaint, Trump’s attorney wrote:
“These statements were and remain false, and were made by Defendant Stephanopoulos with actual malice or with a reckless disregard for the truth given that Defendant Stephanopoulos knows that these statements are patently and demonstrably false.
“Indeed, the jury expressly found that Plaintiff did not commit rape and, as demonstrated below, Defendant George Stephanopoulos was aware of the jury’s finding in this regard yet still falsely stated otherwise.”
Trump is asking for punitive financial damages but did not specify an amount in the filing.
He also requested a jury trial.
NEW: Donald Trump is suing ABC News and George Stephanopoulos for defamation over the Nancy Mace interview, in which, on more than ten occasions, Stephanopoulos falsely accused Trump of committing rape. pic.twitter.com/X6D4PYQxNK
— Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) March 19, 2024
Carroll received a judgment of $83.3 million in her defamation case against Trump in January.
Trump was accused of acting maliciously in his remarks about Carroll when he publicly denied her claims.
He asserted that he never met Carroll and called her a “whack job” during a May CNN town hall.
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