No. of Recommendations: 4
In August 2023, Kaplan dismissed a countersuit and wrote that Carroll's accusation of "rape" is "substantially true".[12]
I suspect the settlement by ABC was a business decision based on the hazards of litigation.
While Carroll can get away with calling the incident “rape” even though it didn’t meet the unique legal definition used in New York, Stephanolopous might be held to a higher standard as a professional journalist.
And even if they successfully defended their position in court, you can be sure Trump would appeal, driving up the legal fees potentially well in excess of the settlement amount.
Of course, none of this changes the basic facts of the Carroll case - that Trump has been judged to have sexually assaulted Carroll in a way that most people, and most states, would call rape.
—Peter
