🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
Many Americans were dismayed when the infamous Access Hollywood tape didn't put an end to Donald Trump's presidential campaign in 2016. But we may be getting some retribution. On Tuesday, a Manhattan jury found former President Trump guilty of the sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll, though the jury did not find Trump guilty of rape, the main charge Carroll brought against Trump in the civil suit. Carroll maintained that she was raped in the mid-90's by Trump in a department store. Carroll was awarded $5 million in total damages for her claims against Trump, including $2 million in compensatory damages for the battery claim.
Here's the thing: This wasn't a he said/she said. It was a he said what she said. Though Trump denied the allegations against Carroll, he himself admitted to grabbing women non-consensually in the Access Hollywood tape. Remember the infamous quote: "When you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the p****y. You can do anything."
Despite his denials, Carroll's story seemed par for the course for Trump from the beginning, based on his own quotes on that tape.
And he wasn't saying anything we didn't already know. It's no secret that wealthy, powerful men often feel above the law, and sexual abuse runs rampant among those of gross financial wealth perched in positions of celebrity or any level of status above the average American.
Making matters perhaps worse for Trump, he didn't appear in court, and the jury didn't hear from him directly during the civil trial. What they did hear was E. Jean Carroll—and the jurors believed her, at least, the majority of her claims.
It didn't help that in deposition, Trump said in his defense that he didn't find Carroll attractive, a claim somewhat weakened when he mistook a photo of Carroll for his ex-wife.
Trump has spent a lifetime running from responsibility, lying, skirting the law, and acting as though the rules don't apply to him. But those days are over. Trump claimed he didn't know who Carroll was throughout the trial and has maintained this claim of ignorance since the verdict came in. He also called her a wack job and called the allegations a hoax.
But this is all familiar behavior from the former President; he said the same things during his first and second presidential impeachments, the ongoing investigations into his election fraud claims in 2020, the January 6th hearings, and the fraudulent payment made in his name to Stormy Daniels to keep evidence of their affair a secret during his presidential run.
The jury on Tuesday found in favor of E. Jean Carroll. A group of non-partisan New Yorkers decided there was enough evidence to say that Trump abused and defamed her. Carroll was awarded $5 million, but she won a lot more than that.
Carroll provided clear and convincing evidence that she was defamed, a super high standard in America's courts. Moreover, Carroll set the bar for thousands of women who suffer from severe mental anguish and life-altering guilt and shame in the wake of sexual assault and abuse.
Donald Trump's own words and actions led to his conviction today.
Whether this case will in any way impact his 2024 presidential campaign has yet to be determined. Certainly it's the case that Trump's MAGA crowd has been unmoved by many things that cause the majority of Americans to despair. But one thing is for sure: Trump is now liable for sexual abuse.
That is a first for a former President and frontrunner for the Republican primary.
The truth has come out. It's a good day for women in this country.
Ameshia Cross is a democratic strategist for national, state and local campaigns, a regular political commentator and contributor on MSN, NBC, BBC, SiriusXM, iHeart Radio and more. She is also a former campaign and communications advisor for President Obama.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
