Trump and Justice Department Ask Supreme Court to Toss $83 Million E. Jean Carroll Defamation Verdict
President Donald Trump and the U.S. Justice Department have asked the Supreme Court to overturn an $83 million defamation verdict awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll, arguing that Trump cannot be held personally liable for statements he made while serving as president.
The legal filing centers on comments Trump made in 2019 during his first presidential term, after Carroll accused him of sexual assault. The Justice Department is seeking to apply the Westfall Act, a law that provides protections to federal employees from lawsuits involving conduct carried out within the scope of their official duties.
Trump Seeks Supreme Court Review of $83 Million Verdict
The request marks the second time Trump has asked the Supreme Court to intervene in damages awarded to Carroll. The justices declined in June to hear his appeal of a separate $5 million verdict in which a jury found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
In the latest case, federal attorneys argued that the issue deserves the Supreme Court’s attention because Trump is facing significant personal financial liability for statements made while he was president.
“Absent this Court’s intervention, the sitting President is facing nearly a hundred million dollars of personal liability for conduct that was well within the scope of his federal office.”
The documents were reviewed by The Associated Press on Wednesday and were expected to be formally docketed with the Supreme Court shortly.
Justice Department Invokes Westfall Act
The Justice Department’s argument relies on the Westfall Act, which can shield federal government employees from civil lawsuits over conduct performed within the scope of their employment.
Federal attorneys contend that Trump’s statements at issue were made while he was serving as president and therefore fall within the scope of his federal office. The Supreme Court is being asked to determine whether that protection can prevent the $83 million award from being enforced against him personally.
Trump Lawyers Challenge Appeals Court Ruling
Trump’s attorneys separately argued that the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan avoided directly addressing his claim that presidential immunity protects him from the defamation award.
His lawyers described the appeals court’s handling of the matter as “procedural contortions” and argued that the case presents an unprecedented question that warrants Supreme Court review.
They also characterized the $83 million damages award as “grossly excessive” in their filing.
Previous $5 Million Carroll Verdict
The latest Supreme Court petition follows a separate legal battle involving Carroll. In that case, a jury awarded her $5 million after finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The Supreme Court declined in June to hear Trump’s appeal of that verdict.
The two cases involve different damages awards, with the latest petition focused on the $83 million defamation judgment arising from Trump’s statements during his first term as president.
What Happens Next
The Supreme Court will now be asked to consider Trump’s arguments concerning presidential immunity and the application of the Westfall Act to statements made while he was in office. The Justice Department’s involvement adds a separate federal-government argument to Trump’s effort to overturn the $83 million judgment.
The case puts the scope of presidential protection from civil liability before the Supreme Court while Carroll’s $83 million defamation award remains the central issue in the latest appeal.
Source: The Associated Press (AP)
