President Trump’s legal team filed a lawsuit against ABC host and former Democrat operative George Stephanopoulos. This comes after Stephanopoulos falsely stated that Trump was found guilty of rape in his civil case with E. Jean Carroll.
In a 20-page filing submitted to a federal court in Miami, Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito, alleges that Stephanopoulos demonstrated “malice” and a “reckless” disregard for the truth during a recent interview with Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-NC). The interview pertained to the Carroll ruling against Trump, where he was found liable for sexual abuse under New York law but not for rape.
Stephanopoulos questioned Rep. Mace, a legitimate rape survivor, about reconciling her endorsement of President Trump with the New York jury’s decision in the Carroll case.
During the interview, Mace felt attacked when Stephanopoulos repeatedly questioned her support for President Trump and mentioned, falsely, that we was “liable for rape” on ten occasions.
Mace herself alleges that Stephanopoulos shamed her through his line of questioning, which ultimately prompted the lawsuit.
“Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape. How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw, ” Stephanopoulos asked during the interview.
Watch:
BREAKING: Donald Trump sues ABC News and host George Stephanopoulos for defaming him during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 19, 2024
Good 🔥
The lawsuit stems from Stephanopoulos’ questioning of Mace about being a r*pe survivor.
The show host apparently lied about Trump during his… pic.twitter.com/0ojdHHFS7R
“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,” lawyer Alejandro Brito wrote in his complaint.
From Fox News:
The lawsuit, filed Monday in Florida, claims Stephanopoulos’ statements are “false” and were made with “actual malice or with a reckless disregard for the truth given that Defendant Stephanopoulos knows these statements are patently and demonstrably false.” The court document then noted that a jury “expressly found that [Plantiff] did not commit rape.”
The suit notes that Trump representatives contacted ABC seeking a retraction following the interview, but the Disney-owned news outlet failed to apologize or correct the record.
“Since making such false, malicious, and defamatory statements, many news and press outlets have continued to quote Stephanopoulos by wrongfully broadcasting that Plaintiff was found liable for rape,” Trump’s lawyers wrote.
In the court of law, words carry immense weight, and George’s repeated false claim that President Trump was “liable for rape” constitutes a direct assault on Trump’s reputation, particularly amidst a presidential race.
