Former president Donald Trump cannot hold up the process in the lawsuit where a woman alleged he raped her years ago, then defamed her when she came forward with her story.
E. Jean Carroll has won two cases against Donald Trump, one by jury and one by summary judgment, that combined, allege that he sexually assaulted her in the 1990s in a department store, and later used his position in the White House to defame her when she shared her experience, resulting in lost work and a damaged reputation.
Trump is appealing the ruling, and has been denied a stay of judgment until appeal.
The cases are known as Carroll II (rape and defamation) in which a jury has found Trump liable and levied a penalty totalling $5 million; and Carroll I (defamation that took place while Trump was in office), in which a judge has issued a summary judgment, and a jury will soon determine the financial penalty.
Trump is appealing the rulings and wants a stay — an order would temporarily freeze the judgment — until he has completed the appeal process.
In a new order, a panel of judges for the Second Circuit Court of Appeals dashed the former president’s hopes.
First, the order denies his motion for a stay, noting that one of the relevant factors is “likely success on the merits” — suggesting that the panel doesn’t see Trump’s appeal as likely to succeed.
Then, it hits his well-known strategy of drawing out processes. The order reads:
“Although we do not grant a stay pending appeal, it would be in the interest of the parties, as confirmed during oral argument, for the Court to resolve the issue of absolute presidential immunity as presented in the two appeals expeditiously..Accordingly, it is further ORDERED that these appeals be expedited…The appeals will be assigned to the first available panel to hear the cases on the merits.”
Trump — who, after the second judgment, may have finally gotten the message, because he hasn’t leveled more attacks on Carroll on social media — will not only be unable to stretch this case out, but he’ll also soon have a higher court’s ruling on his claims of presidential immunity.
That doesn’t bode well for his criminal cases.
