18 years after his infamous “Grab ’em by the p***y” remark to Access Hollywood and 10 more years after he cornered writer E. Jean Carroll in a Bergdorf Goodman department store and forced himself on her, former president Donald Trump has been charged with sexual abuse and defamation according to a Manhattan jury (six men and three women), who reached the unanimous verdict on Tuesday afternoon after a mere three hours of deliberation.
Like clockwork, some of Trump’s most ardent celebrity detractors like George Takei, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Patton Oswalt have taken this long overdue display of justice to lean on their celebratory horns.
“Trump liable for battery! E. Jean Carroll vindicated,” wrote Takei.
“Thank you @ejeancarroll1 @officiallisabirnbach for standing up to a bully and finally having his words and deeds meet consequences,” Curtis wrote on Instagram. “His ‘TYPE’ just got served a big plate of consequences!” she continued on Twitter, referring to Trump’s unsettling proclamations in the past about the type of women he prefers.
“Weird way to promote tomorrow night’s Town Hall,” commented Oswalt. “But let’s see if this pays off.”
Indeed, Trump is scheduled to attend CNN’s town hall tomorrow, which will be the twice-impeached former president’s first appearance on the network in years. He previously said on his Truth Social account that the town hall “could turn into a disaster for all, including me,” and that’s never been more true in light of his battery and defamation case against Carroll.
Trump’s sexual abuse and defamation case with Carroll is a civil suit and not criminal. His loss is just one example of the legal woes that continue to befall the former president. His arraignment in April in the Stormy Daniels hush money case resulted in him being charged with 34 counts of criminal tax fraud. That indictment will see the next stage of its development on Dec. 4, when Trump is scheduled to report for an in-person hearing. Not to mention he is still facing the wrath of Attorney General Letitia James’ civil lawsuit against him.
In October of 2022, the former president called Carroll’s sexual abuse claims “a complete con job,” a “lie,” and “a hoax.” Today, in response to the Manhattan jury’s ruling, he said on his Truth Social account, “I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHO THIS WOMAN IS. THIS VERDICT IS A DISGRACE – A CONTINUATION OF THE GREATEST WITCH HUNT OF ALL TIME!”
Carroll is to be awarded $5 million from Trump in punitive and compensatory damages.
