…By Larry John for TDPel Media.
Donald Trump’s legal team resumed the civil trial over E. Jean Carroll’s rape allegations, attacking her credibility in court.
Carroll is a former Elle magazine columnist who claimed that Donald Trump raped her and then lied about it.
In Manhattan federal court, Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina cross-examined Carroll, suggesting that her account was “odd” and that she had a political agenda in making the claim.
Carroll’s accusation against Trump dates back to 2019 when she claimed in her memoir that Trump had sexually assaulted her in the 1990s in a department store dressing room.
Trump denied the allegation and accused Carroll of lying to sell books, claiming that he had never met her.
The defamation case was brought by Carroll after Trump denied her accusations and called her a liar, which she said had harmed her reputation and career.
The case is significant because it has the potential to set a precedent for whether sitting presidents can be sued for personal conduct that occurred before they took office.
The Trump team’s strategy of attacking Carroll’s credibility is not surprising, given the difficulty of proving a rape case, which is often a he-said-she-said situation.
By casting doubt on Carroll’s motives and character, Trump’s lawyers hope to discredit her claims and win the case.
However, the trial is likely to be closely watched by advocates of the #MeToo movement and survivors of sexual assault, who will be looking to see whether justice is served in this case.