Trump calls DOJ’s rejection of immunity claims in defamation case a ‘political witch hunt’.

Former President Donald Trump Slams DOJ’s Rejection of Presidential Immunity in Defamation Lawsuit

Former President Donald Trump has strongly criticized the Department of Justice (DOJ) for rejecting claims of presidential immunity in the defamation lawsuit brought against him by E. Jean Carroll. The DOJ recently declined to certify that Trump was acting within his role as president when he made the comments that Carroll claims are defamatory.

In response to the DOJ’s action, Trump accused them of engaging in a larger “political witch hunt.” He expressed his frustration in a post on Truth Social, stating, “The DOJ will not defend me in the E. Jean Carroll civil case, which is all part of the political Witch Hunt.”

Trump Defends Himself and Denies Accusations

Trump vehemently denied the allegations made by Carroll, who accused him of raping her at a department store in New York City in the mid-1990s. Trump has consistently denied these claims. In his Truth Social post, he asserted, “The statements that I made about Carroll are all true. I didn’t rape her (I won that at trial) and other than for this case, I have NO IDEA WHO SHE IS, WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE, OR ANYTHING ABOUT HER.”

Carroll filed two lawsuits against Trump in 2019 and 2022. The 2019 lawsuit accuses him of defamation, while the 2022 lawsuit accuses him of defamation and battery under New York’s Adult Survivors Act. In a subsequent post on Truth Social, Trump criticized the 2022 defamation lawsuit, calling it a “total scam.”

Trump Challenges the Verdict and Plans to Appeal

Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with the trial’s outcome, where a jury found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation but not rape, and awarded Carroll approximately $5 million in damages. He claimed that the trial was unfair and criticized the judge’s handling of the case. Trump stated, “The Carroll civil case against me is a Miscarriage of Justice and a total Scam.”

In another post on Truth Social, Trump announced his intention to appeal the verdict, stating, “We are strongly appealing this travesty of justice!” He emphasized that the entire incident was a result of a fabricated story and accused Carroll of seeking publicity and sales through her book.

Carroll’s Lawyers Respond to Trump’s Counterclaim

Trump filed a countersuit against Carroll over comments she made on CNN, despite the jury rejecting the rape claim. Carroll’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss Trump’s counterclaim, arguing that it was merely a retaliatory tactic to spin the former president’s loss in the trial.

For more details on this story, click here to read the full article from The Washington Examiner.

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