DOJ Initiates Criminal Investigation into E. Jean Carroll
The Department of Justice has launched a formal criminal investigation concerning 82-year-old author and former advice columnist E. Jean Carroll.
This investigation is centered on whether Carroll committed perjury during her testimony related to two civil lawsuits against former President Donald Trump. One lawsuit claims that Trump sexually assaulted her in a New York department store back in the mid-1990s, while the other accuses him of defamation, asserting that he denied the assault in 2019 and suggested she fabricated her accusations to promote her book.
This marks a significant escalation in a lengthy legal battle that has shifted from civil libel disputes to federal criminal law. By moving past typical civil processes and initiating a direct criminal inquiry, federal authorities seem to be adopting a new strategy to get to the bottom of the allegations and enforce accountability.
During her sworn testimony in a civil trial in 2023, Carroll acknowledged that she couldn’t recall specific details, such as the date or even the year of the alleged incident, placing it somewhere in the “mid-1990s” – not very precise, right? Trump’s legal team highlighted her memory issues, arguing that accusations lacking concrete details can’t be substantiated or refuted. Meanwhile, Carroll’s lawyers contended that traumatic memories often keep vivid details while failing to remember exact dates.
In response to the investigation, Carroll’s legal team criticized it as a misuse of the federal justice system, suggesting it’s retaliation against those who bring powerful figures to account in civil court.
Moving forward, it’s anticipated that the investigation will progress, with prosecutors beginning to issue subpoenas and reviewing depositions to see if any federal crime took place.
Background on Previous Lawsuits
Earlier defamation lawsuits by Trump stemmed from comments made on a live broadcast by ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos on March 10, 2024. During a segment, he repeatedly questioned Rep. Nancy Mace about her support for Trump, erroneously claiming that a federal jury had found Trump “responsible for rape” in Carroll’s civil suit. In retaliation, Trump filed a substantial federal defamation lawsuit in Miami, asserting that Stephanopoulos acted with malice by spreading falsehoods regarding his legal record.
Trump’s lawyers maintained that Stephanopoulos, as a professional journalist, bore the responsibility to report court decisions accurately rather than reinterpreting them for a live audience.
This complex legal situation is set to reach its conclusion by December 2024. As part of a huge settlement, ABC News and its parent company, The Walt Disney Company, will pay a $15 million “charitable contribution” to a nonprofit account for Trump’s future Presidential Library Foundation and Museum.
Additionally, they’ll pay $1 million to Trump’s lead attorney for legal fees. Alongside this financial agreement, ABC News has also committed to retracting statements and expressing regret, including an editor’s note clarifying the earlier comments made during the broadcast.
