New York appellate court allows Summer Zervos defamation suit against Trump to proceed
Source: Washington Post
A New York appellate court ruled Thursday that President Trump must face a defamation lawsuit filed by former "Apprentice" contestant Summer Zervos, one of about a dozen women who accused Trump of sexual misconduct shortly before the 2016 election.
Trump has called Zervos and the other women who made accusations against him "liars," prompting Zervos to file a lawsuit in 2017. Trump's lawyers have tried unsuccessfully to block Zervos's suit, arguing that the president is immune from such lawsuits in state court.
In their ruling Thursday, a panel of New York appellate judges rejected that argument, citing the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Clinton v. Jones, which established that presidents can be sued while in office for unofficial acts. "Contrary to defendant's contention, Clinton v Jones did not suggest that its reasoning would not apply to state court actions. It merely identified a potential constitutional concern. Notwithstanding that concern, this Court should not be deterred from holding that a state court can exercise jurisdiction over the President as a defendant in a civil lawsuit," they said in their decision.
Zervos's legal team hailed the ruling as an affirmation that Trump "is not above the law." "The case has proceeded in the trial court and discovery continues," Mariann Wang, Zervos's attorney, said in a statement. "We look forward to proving to a jury that Ms. Zervos told the truth about Defendant's unwanted sexual groping and holding him accountable for his malicious lies."
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/new-york-appellate-court-allows-summer-zervos-defamation-suit-against-trump-to-proceed/2019/03/14/aee8b8c6-4671-11e9-90f0-0ccfeec87a61_story.html
Link to the NY state Appellate ruling - http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2019/2019_01851.htm
denverbill
(11,489 posts)The tapes that supposedly contain Trump saying sexist, racist crap that they refused to release.
BumRushDaShow
(129,662 posts)before any of that may be forced to be released. At least that is my thinking!
ScratchCat
(2,002 posts)is that her attorney will subpoena all sorts of stuff including the tapes and call the other dozen plus individuals who claimed Trump sexually harassed them as well. Anyone or anything that can show Trump's "mo" with harassing women could be fair game. They are not looking for a settlement; she wants Trump to admit he lied and did what she claims he did. He has no way out of a deposition.
stuffmatters
(2,574 posts)trueblue2007
(17,242 posts)Remember on ACCESS HOLLYWOOD when Trump said he can KISS Women and GRAB WOMEN BY THE P*SSY anytime he wants.
WARNING: This story contains graphic language. Donald Trump bragged about trying to have sex with a married woman and being able to grope women in previously unaired footage from 2005.