Wow! Could this be the financial blow to finally shut up Donald Trump?!
The jury found once again on Friday that the former president defamed E. Jean Carroll. The author famously won her previous suit against him last May — when a jury found Trump had committed sexual abuse by assaulting her in a Bergdorf’s changing room in the ’90s. He was ordered to pay the Ask E. Jean columnist a total of $5 MILLION.
But of course this is a man who cannot help himself, and he immediately went out and said once again that she was lying, opening himself up to yet another defamation suit! And obviously the facts of the case haven’t really changed, the statements are all public, so… legally he was dead in the water, and the jury agreed.
This time it was much worse for Trump. Carroll’s legal team was asking for $12 mil this go-around, more than doubling the amount. After all, it’s clear the $5 million wasn’t enough to change his behavior. But the jury determined he should pay more… WAY more…
Related: Trump Accidentally Compared Himself To A Pedo Priest!
They decided Trump should pay $18.3 mil in compensatory damages, $11 mil to fund a reputational repair campaign, and another $7.3 million for emotional harm suffered by Carroll. But that was just to start.
Furthermore the verdict said Trump acted with malice in continuing to attack the author. Remember, he not only called her a liar for her rape accusations, he also implied she was ugly — and of course his followers sent her threats. She has not had an easy time since speaking out, and this is a woman who already said she has not been able to have sex since being raped by Trump.
The cost of Trump’s malice? $65 MILLION!!! That’s a total of $83.3 MILLION he now owes. Even if Trump really is a billionaire, for someone currently facing legal battles on several other fronts AND running for president? That’s a lot of dough!
Something tells us MAGA supporters can expect a campaign fundraising donation request in their in-boxes over the weekend.
But will 83 mil be enough to finally convince Trump to keep his yap shut publicly about E. Jean and this case? Time will tell. Nothing has worked so far, but nothing has been 83 MILLION either! Our first sign? Not so good. Trump reportedly stormed out of the courtroom before the verdict was even read and within minutes, this was up on his Truth Social:
“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. Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon. They have taken away all First Amendment Rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!”
Do we even need to say how wrong this statement is? You don’t have a First Amendment Right to defame someone, especially after it’s already been decided in court EXACTLY where that defamation line is, and ya still crossed it.
[Image via MEGA/WENN.]