A defamation suit filed by a woman alleging that Trump raped her in 1990s is now being heard. Judge ruled Wednesday.
U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan denied Trump’s request for a deposition delay. Kaplan said that Trump had tried to delay the collection evidence in the case on multiple occasions and that he should not be allowed to “run the clock out” on E. Jean Carroll, plaintiff in this case.
Kaplan wrote that Mr. Trump’s position on discovery burdens is unacceptable, given his conduct in the case. “As the Court has previously observed, Mr. Trump litigated this case from the beginning in 2019, with the effect and possibly the purpose of delaying the proceedings.”
The deposition was scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 19.
Carroll filed a lawsuit against Trump alleging that he raped him in the mid-1990s. Carroll wrote in a June 2019 book that she claimed she met Trump in New York City at Bergdorf Goodman in 1995 or 1996. There, Trump allegedly pushed her against the wall and then raped her.
Trump denied the claims, telling The Hill in 2019 that she was “totally lying”. Trump also denied a photo of the couple at a party years ago, telling the Hill in 2019 that she was “totally lying.” According to Axios, I don’t know who she is.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 in favor of asking an appeals court in Washington, D.C. for information on whether Trump was acting as president in 2019. Although the Manhattan court found that Trump made the comments while he was president, which could grant him immunity from Carroll’s lawsuit because he was a government employee, it couldn’t determine whether his statements were within his employment range.
Carroll plans to file a new lawsuit against Trump, in addition to the defamation suit. This is under the Adult Survivors Act, New York. It allows New Yorkers over 18 years old to sue anyone they believe has sexually assaulted or threatened them. In August, Carroll’s lawyer informed a New York judge that the team plans to file the lawsuit on November 24, when all residents are allowed to file their lawsuits.
