E. Jean Carroll is not done with Donald Trump yet.
The former columnist who recently secured a $5 million dollar victory in civil court against the former president for sexual abuse and defamation has filed a new lawsuit seeking $10 million more from him over claims of defamation.
This latest lawsuit is taking aim at Trump’s comments during the infamous CNN Town Hall which took place the day after the initial verdict. Carroll’s lawyers said Trump “doubled down” on derogatory remarks about their client.
During the broadcast, Trump called Carroll a “whack job” with a “made up story.”
The filing references this language: “During the exchange, Trump falsely stated that he did not sexually abuse Carroll, that he has no idea who Carroll was, and that Carroll’s now-proven accusation was a ‘fake’ and ‘made up story’ created by a ‘whack job.'”
“It is hard to imagine defamatory conduct that could possibly be more motivated by hatred, ill will, or spite,” her lawyers wrote of Trump’s remarks. “This conduct supports a very substantial punitive damages award in Carroll’s favor both to punish Trump, to deter him from engaging in further defamation, and to deter others from doing the same.”
They added: “Trump used a national platform to demean and mock Carroll. He egged on a laughing audience as he made light of his violent sexual assault, called Carroll names, implied that Carroll was asking to be assaulted, and dismissed the jury’s verdict vindicating Carroll.”
Trump has already signaled that he will appeal the earlier verdict determined by a nine-member jury in Manhattan, but he may be back in court sooner than that.
Joe Tacopina, a Trump lawyer, declined to comment on the new legal claim. Carroll’s lawyers have asked for a speedy resolution to the case “while she remains in good health and before Donald Trump’s time and attention are consumed entirely by his presidential campaign.”
