Former Advice Columnist E. Jean Carroll Files New Rape Lawsuit Against Donald Trump
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Getty Images (2) From left: E. Jean Carroll and Donald Trump
Former Elle advice columnist and TV host E. Jean Carroll has filed a second lawsuit against Donald Trump — the newest suit coming under a new New York law that allows victims of sexual assault to file claims years after the incident occurred.
On Thursday, Carroll filed suit against the now 76-year-old former president in New York alleging battery and defamation under the state's Adult Survivors Act, which creates a one-year lookback window for survivors of sexual abuse to file claims otherwise barred by the statute of limitations.
The suit — filed Thursday in the U.S. Southern District of New York — alleges: "Roughly 27 years ago, playful banter at the luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue in New York City took a dark turn when Defendant Donald J. Trump seized Plaintiff E. Jean Carroll, forced her up against a dressing room wall, pinned her in place with his shoulder, and raped her."
The suit further alleges that Carroll "remained silent for over two decades" for fear of being buried in "threats and lawsuits" and damage to her reputation and livelihood.
The suit claims that the incident "severely injured Carroll, causing significant pain and suffering, lasting psychological harms, loss of dignity, and invasion of her privacy" and seeks "redress for her injuries and to demonstrate that even a man as powerful as Trump can be held accountable under the law."
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In a statement to PEOPLE, Carroll's attorney Roberta Kaplan says the writer "intends to hold Donald Trump accountable not only for defaming her, but also for sexually assaulting her, which he did years ago in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman."
"Thanksgiving Day was the very first day Ms. Carroll could file under New York law so our complaint was filed with the court shortly after midnight," the attorney adds.
An attorney for Trump, meanwhile, told the AP the case was "an abuse" of the new law.
"While I respect and admire individuals that come forward, this case is unfortunately an abuse of the purpose of this Act which creates a terrible precedent and runs the risk of delegitimizing the credibility of actual victims," Trump attorney Alina Habba told the outlet.
Trump's spokesperson did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Carroll's other suit against the former president also stems from her claim that he sexually assaulted her in a New York City dressing room in the mid-1990s — and allegations that he defamed her when she went public with the story.
Trump has adamantly denied Carroll's claims, saying in a 2019 interview: "No. 1: She's not my type" and, further, that he had "never met this person in my life." (The two have been photographed together, though Trump said that was an incidental moment.)
Trump also tweeted at the time that Carroll was "totally lying" about the rape, claiming she made up the allegation in order to help sell her memoir.
Following those comments, Carroll sued Trump for defamation, arguing that his claims caused her "emotional pain and suffering" and damaged "her reputation, honor, and dignity" and thus her career.
In October, U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ruled that Trump must answer questions under oath as part of the lawsuit, with the deposition scheduled for Oct. 19, the Associated Press reported earlier.
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Trump is currently embroiled in a number of lawsuits and investigations, including investigations into his conduct on Jan. 6, 2021 — when a mob of rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on his behalf in an attempt to stop Joe Biden's election victory from being certified — and his handling of classified documents after leaving office.
