Regret statements’: ABC News has deadline to give $15 million Trump presidential library donation in defamation lawsuit deal after George Stephanopoulos’ ‘rape’ comments

Posted by Mike Spencer December 15, 2024
Regret statements' ABC News has deadline to give $15 million Trump presidential library donation in defamation lawsuit deal after George Stephanopoulos' 'rape' comments

As part of a settlement of a defamation lawsuit filed by the president-elect in Florida federal court, ABC News will provide significant seed funding for Donald Trump’s eventual presidential library.

In a seven-page settlement and release agreement, both parties agreed to end an acrimonious legal battle over comments made by star anchor George Stephanopoulos earlier this year about the president’s potential liability in a New York State civil suit.

ABC News now owes more than $15 million.

“ABC shall cause a transfer in the amount of fifteen million U.S. dollars to be made to a Presidential foundation and museum to be established by or for Plaintiff, as Presidents of the United States of America have established in the past, in full settlement and satisfaction of Plaintiff’s Released Claims,” according to the agreement.

The agreement filed Saturday goes on to say:

The Charitable Contribution shall be made by Defendants within 10 calendar days of the Effective Date of this Agreement to an escrow account to be established by Plaintiff’s counsel, who will serve as the escrow agent (the “Escrow Agent”) for this specific Charitable Contribution. Within 10 calendar days after Plaintiff or his counsel present written confirmation that the appropriate entity has been established by the Plaintiff, and its 501 (c)(3) status has been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service, Defendants shall authorize the Escrow Agent in writing to release the Charitable Contribution to the subject entity.

ABC News will also pay Trump’s attorney $1 million.

The motion outlines the following additional measures the network will take to settle the lawsuit:

Within one calendar day of the Effective Date of this Agreement, Defendants shall publicly publish the following statement by adding as an editor’s note at the bottom of the March 10, 2024 Online Article:

“ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024.”

The former and future president was suing after Stephanopoulos claimed “more than ten times” on “This Week” in March that Trump had been found “liable for rape” in the E. Jean Carroll civil case.

The defamation lawsuit was filed just eight days after that segment, in which the anchor questioned Georgia Republican Rep. Nancy Mace about her support for Trump.

The implication was never in doubt during the broadcast: Stephanopoulos repeatedly stated that Mace is a rape victim and that Trump was found “liable for rape” by a jury.

The lawsuit claimed that ABC and Stephanopoulos defamed Trump in the initial headline of an article and during the broadcast by making the claim, despite the fact that the jury verdict sheet specifically stated “no” to the rape allegation.

Senior U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan’s post-verdict opinion added to the confusion.

In a footnote, the judge wrote: “As the jury’s response to Question 2 was an implicit finding that Mr. Trump forcibly digitally penetrated Ms. Carroll’s vagina, no explicit independent finding by the Court is required.” Nevertheless, the Court determines that he did so.”

However, the law relies heavily on precise definitions.

Trump’s lawsuit claimed Stephanopoulos must have known his statements were false because he has “vast experience as a journalist” and once “specifically” asked E. Jean Carroll why Trump “was not found liable for rape.”

The plaintiff also claimed that ABC denied a retraction request and did not apologize, only changing the headline of an article from “Nancy Mace defends her support for Trump after he was found liable for rape” to “Nancy Mace defends her support for Trump after he was found liable for sexual assault.”

The parties had been battling it out in motions practice for months. Last month, Chief U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga was fed up with the situation and refused to reschedule deadlines for expert witnesses, discovery, mediation, and various pretrial motions.

Whatever disparity existed between various interpretations of Empire State legal definitions or potential culpability for omitting them is now moot. As are any remaining scenes of drama.

Late Friday, the Florida judge overseeing the case issued a brief series of depositions for both the anchor and the 45th and 47th presidents.

Those depositions have been quickly canceled.

Read the full settlement agreement here .

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