Jean Carroll, the ex-advice columnist who brought defamation and battery lawsuits against former President Donald Trump, expressed her willingness to assist President Joe Biden in his reelection campaign.
Last Friday, a jury decided Carroll’s case against Trump. The jury awarded Carroll $18.3 million in compensatory damages and $65 million in punitive damages. Many view the award announcement as one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in modern American history. Trump was instructed to pay Carroll $11 million to fund a reputational repair campaign and $7.3 million for the emotional harm caused by his statements against her in 2019.
In a statement released just days after receiving the $83m award in her defamation trial against Donald Trump, Carroll said she would spend it on something the former president “hates.” She expressed her intention to donate money to specific causes that will cause Trump pain.
In an interview, Carroll, alongside her lawyer Roberta Kaplan, talked about the jury’s decision to award her $83.3 million in her defamation case. When asked about possibly joining Biden’s campaign efforts against Trump, Carroll stated she hadn’t been approached but was open to the idea, saying, “I’ll do anything I can.”
After sharing her story in an interview, E. Jean Carroll received mixed reactions from viewers on the platform. Some viewers expressed their support for Carroll, while others supported Trump. It is worth noting that a non-scientific assessment showed a higher percentage of viewers supporting Trump.
Following the interview, Tara Reade, who has accused Joe Biden of misconduct, responded by posting screenshots of a past conversation with Carroll. In the conversation, Carroll showed her support for Reade’s allegations against Biden.
Reade’s post highlighted her struggles, claiming she was harassed and forced to seek political asylum in Russia due to her intentions to testify against Biden in Congress. She accused Biden of assaulting her in 1993, a claim that has not been officially investigated. Reade’s post included a screenshot where Carroll referred to Reade’s critics as “trolls” who lacked “brains, class, morals,” and understanding of the situation.
Another screenshot showed Carroll suggesting a future meeting for tea with Reade.
Remember me @ejeancarroll ?
I was bullied and harassed and chased to another country by Biden’s machine . All because I was to testify before Congress against him. I now have political asylum in Russia. He raped me. When I was his staffer at work in 1993 and there has never been… pic.twitter.com/VuEyrg1N5u— Tara Reade 🐎 (@ReadeAlexandra) January 29, 2024
Using his Truth Social platform, Trump described Friday’s decision as “absolutely ridiculous” and has announced that he would appeal the decision. Trump also said that the legal system is out of control and being used as a “Political Weapon.”
The latest trial was distinct from a previous one about a year ago, where Carroll secured a $5m victory for sexual abuse, and it was also separate from earlier comments where Trump had “defamed” her. During the trial last spring, a Jury of nine members concluded that Trump had sexually abused her, but Carroll did not successfully demonstrate that she was sexually assaulted.
The former president has consistently denied Carroll’s allegations. After the initial ruling, Trump attempted to act on this specific distinction mentioned in the judgment by filing a lawsuit against Carroll in June. He claimed that Carroll had defamed him by asserting she was assaulted in a media interview following the trial’s conclusion. In August, Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan determined that the jury’s verdict indicated Carroll’s allegation of rape was “substantially true,” leading to the dismissal of Trump’s counterclaim.
It’s uncertain whether Carroll’s potential support for Biden would significantly impact the polls. Current national polls, such as the RealClearPolitics average, indicate a tight race between Trump and Biden, with Trump slightly ahead. However, these polls mostly survey registered voters, not likely voters, and their reliability this far from the election is debatable.
Any involvement that Carroll may have with the Biden administration could cause the Trump campaign to argue that the lawsuits against him are politically motivated. Carroll’s attorneys have already stated that they will bring another lawsuit against Trump if he decides to defame her again.
