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A firestorm ignited Friday after a federal jury ordered former President Donald Trump to pay E. Jean Carroll greater than $83 million in damages after he denied allegations he raped her in the Nineties.
The jury determined Trump should pay $18.3 million in compensatory damages and $65 million in punitive damages. The jury’s verdict was introduced Friday night by federal Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.
A federal jury in New York City determined final yr Trump was not answerable for rape however was answerable for sexual abuse and defamation. The former president was ordered to pay $5 million in that trial.
“Absolutely ridiculous! I fully disagree with both verdicts, and will be appealing this whole Biden Directed Witch Hunt focused on me and the Republican Party,” Trump posted on his Truth Social shortly after the verdict was learn. “Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon. They have taken away all First Amendment Rights.”
TRUMP ORDERED TO PAY MORE THAN $80 MILLION IN E. JEAN CARROLL DEFAMATION TRIAL
A federal jury ordered former President Donald Trump to pay E. Jean Carroll greater than $83 million in damages Friday after he denied allegations he raped her in the Nineties. (Getty Images)
Trump added, “THIS IS NOT AMERICA!”
Carroll, who alleged Trump raped her at the Bergdorf Goodman division retailer throughout from Trump Tower in Manhattan someday in 1996, was looking for $12 million.
Taking goal at Democrats who are “using the system” to focus on the former president, Rev. Franklin Graham, head of Samaritan’s Purse and The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, took to social media to indicate his assist for Trump.
“Simply put, Democrats are using the system & changing the law to go after Pres. @realDonaldTrump. They hate this man so much & will try ANYTHING to get to keep him out of office,” Graham wrote Saturday. “President Trump is right about the trial when he said, “This is just not America.”
Similar to that of Graham, Mike Davis, founder and president of the Article III Project, said the move by the jury was “a part of the Democrats’ lawfare and election interference against Trump.”
“Another Democrat plaintiff, with extra Democrat-funded attorneys, one other Democrat decide, and one other Democrat jury in one other Democrat hellhole simply awarded a legally flawed and an unconstitutionally punitive award against Trump,” Davis said in a statement. “No sane individual on the planet really believes Jean Carroll, who named her cat Vagina and fantasized about rape being attractive. Nor would any sane individual imagine her popularity is value wherever near $6 — not to mention $65 million.
Rev. Franklin Graham, head of Samaritan’s Purse and of The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, took to social media to indicate his assist for Trump. (Franklin Graham/Samaritan’s Purse)
“This is a part of the Democrats’ lawfare and election interference against Trump,” he added. “Democrats know they can’t beat Trump on November 5, 2024. So they just want to impeach him twice, throw him in prison for life, bankrupt him, illegally gag him, and simply take him off the ballot. Unless judges want the courts to lose all legitimacy, this must stop.”
Conservative commentator and podcast host Benny Johnson additionally weighed in on the verdict.
“Another example of how the government has been weaponized against Donald Trump in [an] attempt to ruin the man,’ Johnson wrote on X.
OutKick founder Clay Travis also spoke out against the jury’s decision ordering Trump to pay Carroll.
“A left-wing NYC jury simply awarded E. Jean Carroll $83 million {dollars} as a result of they stated Trump defamed her by denying he sexually assaulted her,” Travis acknowledged. “So, now it’s defamation to say you didn’t commit against the law? Banana republic we stay in, y’all. Total banana republic.”
TRUMP DEFENDS HIMSELF ON THE STAND, BLASTS E JEAN CARROLL TRIAL: ‘THIS IS NOT AMERICA’
“Legit query, as a matter of legislation, how will you defend your self against an accusation that you simply dedicated against the law if saying you didn’t commit the crime and the different individual is mendacity about it’s defamation? Under this judgement, Trump isn’t legally permitted to defend himself,” Travis added in a separate post.
Donald Trump Jan. 26, 2024, in New York City. (GWR/Star Max/GC Images)
Though several people took issue with the jury’s findings, others celebrated the verdict, including Republican presidential candidate and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
“Donald Trump needs to be the presumptive Republican nominee and we’re speaking about $83.3 million in damages,” Haley wrote on X. “We’re not speaking about fixing the border. We’re not speaking about tackling inflation. America can do higher than Donald Trump and Joe Biden.”
Responding to Haley, Texas GOP Rep. Lance Gooden wrote on X, “It’s necessary to keep in mind that Nikki Haley mega donor, Reid Hoffman, funded E Jean Carroll’s frivolous lawsuit against President Trump. Nikki ought to return his cash and drop out of the race!”
Carroll also celebrated the ruling, saying in a statement that the jury’s verdict was a “nice victory” for women who decide to come forward with claims.
“This is a superb victory for each lady who stands up when she’s been knocked down and an enormous defeat for each bully who has tried to maintain a girl down,” she said. “This win is due to Robbie Kaplan and her dazzling group at Kaplan Hecker & Fink.”
Despite concerns from Trump’s legal team about how the court process played out, Kaplan noted in a statement that the verdict proves the “legislation applies to everybody.”
E. Jean Carroll (center) and attorney Roberta Kaplan (right) leave Manhattan Federal Court Jan. 26, 2024, in New York City. (GWR/Star Max/GC Images)
“Today’s verdict proves that the legislation applies to everybody in our nation, even the wealthy, even the well-known, even former presidents,” Kaplan said. “There is a method to stand as much as somebody like Donald Trump who cares extra about wealth, fame and energy than respecting the legislation. Standing as much as a bully takes braveness and bravado; it takes somebody like E. Jean Carroll. We thank the jury for standing up for E. Jean and the rule of legislation.”
Trump, the 2024 GOP frontrunner, has repeatedly and vehemently denied the allegation. His denial resulted in Carroll slapping Trump with a defamation lawsuit, claiming that his response caused harm to her reputation.
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The jury found Carroll was injured as a result of statements Trump made while in the White House in June 2019.
The jury awarded Carroll $18.3 million in compensatory damages. The jury discovered Trump’s statements had been made to hurt Carroll and awarded her $65 million in punitive damages. In complete, the jury stated Carroll must be paid $83.3 million.
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
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