Just a day after a federal jury ordered Donald Trump to pay E. Jean Carroll $5 million in damages for sexually abusing and defaming her, Trump appeared in a televised town hall meeting and called Carroll a "whack job." Carroll has asked the court to bump the damages to "no less than $10 million."
From CNBC:
Carroll's new proposed amended lawsuit notes during his CNN town hall interview, "Trump falsely stated that he did not sexually abuse Carroll, that he has no idea who Carroll was, and that Carroll's now-proven accusation was a 'fake' and 'made up story' created by a 'whack job.'"
"Trump also insulted Carroll's character and downplayed his sexual abuse of her by asking 'what kind of woman meets someone' and then 'within minutes' plays 'hanky-panky in a dressing room,'" the amended complaint says.
The filing notes about 3.3 million people watched the CNN broadcast and heard the audience in the studio "applauding and laughing along uproariously to Trump's comments."
The filing cites several Twitter posts that echoed Trump's "many lies and demeaning remarks" about Carroll.
"These and other similar messages are exactly what Trump intended," the amended complaint said.
"Trump used a national platform to demean and mock Carroll. He egged on a laughing audience as he made light of his violent sexual assault, called Carroll names, implied that Carroll was asking to be assaulted, and dismissed the jury's verdict vindicating Carroll."
According to The Guardian, "Trump is facing a total of 19 legal actions – about half of which allege improper conduct during his presidency. Most of the cases fall under three themes: financial wrongdoings that made him more money; his role in the January 6 2021 insurrection; and his alleged interference in the 2020 election."
