Earlier this year, ex-President Donald Trump gained attention for filing a defamation lawsuit against ABC News host George Stephanopoulos.
In a surprising development, a federal judge in Florida has rejected ABC’s attempt to have the lawsuit dismissed. Judge Cecilia Altonaga of the United States District Court in Miami issued the decision on Wednesday, according to Fox News.
“A jury may, upon viewing the segment, find there was sufficient context. But a reasonable jury could conclude Plaintiff was defamed and, as a result, dismissal is inappropriate,”
Trump was quick to tout the ruling on Truth Social, writing, “A BIG WIN TODAY IN HIGH FLORIDA COURT AGAINST ABC FAKE NEWS, AND LIDDLE’ GEORGE SLOPADOPOLUS.”
“A POWERFUL CASE! BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA WILL BE FORCED BY THE COURTS TO START TELLING THE TRUTH. THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR OUR COUNTRY. MAGA2024!” he added.
Fox News noted that the television segment in question aired this past March and featured an interview Stephanopoulos conducted with South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace.
“You’ve endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape,” Stephanopoulos said.
The ABC News host referred to a civil lawsuit filed by author E. Jean Carroll that resulted in a jury finding Trump liable for sexual assault, but not rape.
Stephanopoulos aired a clip of Mace discussing her experience surviving a rape, and then questioned how she reconciled her endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony.
During the interview, the television host repeatedly asserted that Trump was guilty of rape and mentioned the crime ten times.
Prior to the ruling on Wednesday, Trump indicated in another Truth Social post that he might not participate in the debate scheduled by ABC News between himself and President Joe Biden. Fox News also highlighted this statement.
“My debate with Crooked Joe Biden, the Worst President in the history of the United States, was slated to be broadcast on Fake News ABC, the home of George Slopadopolus, sometime in September,” Trump declared.
“Now that Joe has, not surprisingly, has quit the race, I think the Debate, with whomever the Radical Left Democrats choose, should be held on FoxNews, rather than very biased ABC. Thank you!” the former president went on to add.
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