Jose Luis Villegas/AP
NEW YORK — Former President Trump answered questions under oath on Wednesday in a lawsuit filed by magazine columnist E. Gene Carroll, who says he raped her in a department store locker room in the mid-1990s.
The deposition gave Carroll’s attorney the chance to question Trump about the assault allegations and his statements. When she went public with her story in 2019 first time.
Details of how the deposit was made were not immediately disclosed.
“I am pleased to have completed the deposition of Donald Trump today on behalf of my client, E. Gene Carroll. I am unable to comment further,” said the law firm representing her. Kaplan Hecker & Fink said in a statement.
Mr Trump said Carroll’s rape allegations were “hoaxed and false”.
His team of lawyers worked for years to delay depositions in lawsuits filed when the Republican was still president. A federal judge last week denied Trump’s request for a further stay, saying, “We cannot allow time to expire in plaintiffs’ attempts to obtain relief for what is alleged to be a serious error.”
Alina Hubba, the attorney representing Trump, said Wednesday, “My client is happy to set the record straight today. This case is on the long list of witch hunts against Donald Trump. “It’s just a political ploy, like so many of the other cases.”
Carroll was set to be questioned by Trump’s attorneys last Friday.
Lawyers also did not disclose whether Trump’s deposition was conducted in person or remotely via video. Trump was in Florida on Wednesday. The lawsuit is being handled in New York City courts.
What Trump said during the deposition could be used as evidence in an upcoming civil trial. He has not faced criminal charges related to Carroll’s allegations and is unlikely to be charged.
Similar legal deadlines also applied to civil cases alleging sexual assault. As a result, Carroll chose to sue Trump for defamation for comments Trump made in 2019 denying wrongdoing. She claims her reputation has been damaged by his denial and attack on her credibility and character.
However, the New York legislature recently gave people a year to take past sexual assault allegations in civil court. Carroll’s attorney told the court he intended to file such a lawsuit against Trump after the window opened in late November.
Carroll explains that she bumped into Trump while the two were shopping at the Bergdorf Goodman store across Fifth Avenue from Trump Tower. At the time, Carol was appearing on television as the host of the advice show Ask E. Jean.
She said the two exchanged friendly banter when she tried to help him choose a gift. said.
In a recent statement, Trump called the story “a complete scam.”
“I don’t know this woman, nor do I know who she is. looks like they got it,” Trump said.
https://www.npr.org/2022/10/20/1130131679/donald-trump-deposed-in-defamation-suit-filed-by-e-jean-carroll Donald Trump abdicated in defamation lawsuit filed by E. Gene Carroll : NPR