Trump is suing the information host and ABC for defamation over statements made in regards to the E. Jean Carroll case.
A Justice of the Peace decide in Florida has ordered President-elect Donald Trump and ABC Information host George Stephanopoulos to seem for depositions this month as a part of an ongoing lawsuit between the 2.
Earlier this 12 months, Trump sued Stephanopoulos and ABC Information, alleging that the “This Week” host defamed him when he said throughout an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) {that a} jury discovered Trump answerable for rape.
Trump’s lawsuit in opposition to Stephanopoulos facilities on an interview in March when Stephanopoulos requested Mace about her endorsement of Trump with feedback she made about rape victims being doubted.
At one level in the course of the interview, Stephanopoulos mentioned that “Donald Trump has been discovered answerable for rape by a jury.” He additionally requested Mace: “Why are you supporting somebody who’s been discovered answerable for rape?”
ABC moved to dismiss the case whereas arguing that statements within the interview had been considerably true and guarded underneath the honest report privilege, a authorized doctrine that shields journalists from libel lawsuits once they report on honest and correct accounts of official proceedings or paperwork.
Its submitting pointed to a July 2023 opinion by Southern District of New York Choose Lewis Kaplan, who mentioned that New York regulation outlined rape extra narrowly than it’s ordinarily utilized in dialog.
She additionally left open the chance {that a} jury would see ample context within the ABC anchor’s feedback.
“A jury could, upon viewing the section, discover there was ample context,” she wrote. “A jury might also conclude Plaintiff fails to determine different parts of his declare. … however an affordable jury might conclude Plaintiff was defamed and, in consequence, dismissal is inappropriate.”
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.