Trump’s Liability in Defamation Lawsuit Reinstated by Justice Department

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In a significant turn of events, the Justice Department has reversed its stance on former President Donald Trump’s legal immunity in a defamation lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. Previously, the department had asserted that Trump was shielded from the lawsuit due to his presidential status at the time of the alleged defamatory remarks. However, in a recent letter submitted to the federal court in Manhattan, the department now acknowledges that Trump can indeed be held personally liable for his statements about Carroll’s rape accusation.

The Justice Department’s letter clarifies that there is no longer a solid basis to conclude that Trump’s comments regarding Carroll’s claims were primarily motivated by a genuine desire to serve the country. By retracting its previous position, the department nullifies the protection granted to Trump under the Westfall Act, which traditionally provides federal employees absolute immunity from lawsuits related to their official duties.

This development significantly strengthens Carroll’s defamation case against Trump. The lawsuit was initially filed in 2020 and is scheduled for trial in January of next year. The jury, in a previous ruling, awarded Carroll $5 million in damages after finding that Trump had sexually abused her in 1996. However, they rejected her rape claim. The trial originated from a legal opportunity provided by New York state, allowing victims of sexual abuse to pursue civil claims for incidents that occurred even decades ago.

The Justice Department’s revised stance in the letter to the court takes into account the jury’s verdict, Trump’s deposition in October, and additional defamatory remarks made by Trump about Carroll during a CNN town hall after the trial concluded. This new evidence bolsters Carroll’s original defamation lawsuit and removes one of the final obstacles impeding its progression towards trial.

Robbie Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, expressed gratitude for the Justice Department’s reconsideration and emphasized that Trump’s defamatory statements were born out of personal animosity, not as acts of the President of the United States. As of now, no immediate comments have been made by Trump’s legal team in response to this development.

In a separate development earlier in the day, Carroll’s lawyers challenged a counterclaim made by Trump’s legal team in the defamation lawsuit. Trump’s lawyers alleged that Carroll had defamed him through her post-verdict comments, particularly by reiterating her claim that he had raped her. Carroll’s legal team swiftly dismissed the counterclaim, asserting that it was merely an attempt to downplay Trump’s loss at trial.

It is worth noting that news outlets like The Big Big News generally do not disclose the identities of individuals who have reported being sexually assaulted, unless the individuals have voluntarily come forward publicly, as Carroll has done.

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