After being instructed to pay $83.3 million for defaming writer E. Jean Carroll, whom he had already been ordered to pay $5 million for defaming and sexually abusing, Donald Trump ceased publicly calling her a liar and making other damaging remarks. The penalty appeared to be effective. However, the former president chose to resume defaming Carroll over the weekend, seemingly challenging a judge to increase his financial liability.
During a rally in Georgia on Saturday, Trump addressed the audience, claiming, “I just posted a $91 million bond, $91 million on a fake story, totally made-up story. $91 million based on false accusations made about me by a woman that I knew nothing about, didn’t know, never heard of, I know nothing about her. She wrote a book, she said things. And when I denied it, I said, ‘It’s so crazy. It’s false.’ I get sued for defamation. That’s where it starts.” (The figure is $91.6 million because it includes interest.)
Two days later, during an appearance on CNBC, Trump referred to Carroll as “Ms. Bergdorf Goodman, a person I’d never met,” adding: “I have no idea who she is, except one thing, I got sued. From that point on I said, ‘Wow, that’s crazy, what this is.’” He continued, saying: “I got charged, I was given a false accusation and had to post a $91 million bond on a false accusation.” As a jury concluded in May, Trump very much has met Carroll and sexually abused her in a dressing room in Bergdorf Goodman, and it was his insistence otherwise following that decision that led to the $80-plus million judgment against him.
Carroll has said she would “absolutely” sue Trump again, and on Monday, her attorney, Roberta Kaplan, told The New York Times: “The statute of limitations for defamation in most jurisdictions is between one and three years. As we said after the last jury verdict, we continue to monitor every statement that Donald Trump makes about our client.”
Donald Trump, who has been embroiled in a series of legal challenges, secured a bond worth $91,630,000 with the Federal Insurance Company. This move is required for the appeal process to proceed and ensures that Carroll can collect the judgment if Trump’s appeals are exhausted. The judgment, comprising $83 million in damages plus interest, comes in the wake of multiple jury decisions that have found the former president liable for defamation and, in a separate case, sexual abuse.
In his recent public statements, Trump referred to the story as “fake,” a “totally made-up story,” and described Carroll as “Ms. Bergdorf Goodman, a person I’d never met,” despite a jury concluding that Trump did indeed meet Carroll and sexually abused her in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman. Trump’s reiteration of his denials, which initially led to the substantial judgment against him, could be viewed as an act of defiance or a tactical maneuver in the face of mounting legal pressure.
Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, has expressed confidence that the judgment will be overturned due to what they deem as “prejudicial errors made at the lower level.” On the other hand, Carroll’s legal team remains vigilant, with her attorney, Roberta Kaplan, indicating they will monitor every statement Trump makes about Carroll due to the statute of limitations for defamation being between one and three years in most jurisdictions.
The bond’s posting allows Trump to move forward with an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The appeal process could span more than a year, adding another layer of complexity to Trump’s legal battles. “Mr. Trump’s current situation is a result of his own dilatory actions,” Judge Lewis Kaplan wrote in his order. “He has had since January 26 to organize his finances with the knowledge that he might need to bond this judgment, yet he waited until 25 days after the jury verdict … to file his prior motion for an unsecured or partially secured stay pending resolution of post-trial motions.”
The fact that Carroll’s attorneys were poised to start collecting on the judgment signals the severity of the situation for Trump, who is also appealing an additional $5 million judgment from a previous case.
Relevant articles:
– Already $91 Million in the Hole, Trump Decides to Defame E. Jean Carroll Some More
– Trump secures $91 million bond for judgment in E. Jean Carroll defamation case, ABC News, Fri, 08 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT
– Trump posts $91 million bond to appeal E. Jean Carroll defamation verdict, CBS News, Fri, 08 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT
– Trump posts $91 million bond and files notice of appeal in E. Jean Carroll case, NBC News, Fri, 08 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT
Let’s encourage a boost in Trump’s penalty!