Trump’s countersuit against E Jean Carroll, alleging defamation, dismissed by judge – live updates | US politics

Judge Throws Out Trump Countersuit Against E Jean Carroll

In a recent development, a judge has dismissed Donald Trump’s countersuit against advice columnist E Jean Carroll. This countersuit came after Carroll won a defamation judgment of $5 million against the former president earlier this year when a jury found him guilty of sexually abusing her. However, Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected Trump’s claim, stating that it did not hold up.

Trump’s countersuit was a response to Carroll’s accusation that he had raped her. The former president argued that Carroll’s statement defamed him. However, Judge Kaplan ruled in favor of Carroll, stating that Trump’s contention did not have a strong basis.

This decision marks another setback for Trump in his legal battles. It follows recent news that a federal judge rejected his attempt to sue Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for banning him from their platforms. These legal defeats could further impact his political ambitions as he considers running for president again in 2024.

In other news, attorneys for Donald Trump have filed a response to a protective order requested by federal prosecutors in his indictment for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election. The protective order is based on a statement Trump made, where he declared, “IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I’M COMING AFTER YOU!” Trump’s legal team argues that this statement falls under his right to free speech and that his first amendment rights are at risk of being restricted by the US government and the Biden administration.

Meanwhile, a potential indictment looms for Trump in Georgia’s Fulton County. District Attorney Fani Willis is investigating the former president and his allies’ efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in the state. Willis has stated that a decision on who to bring charges against will be made before September. The anticipation of this indictment has led to the closure of the street outside the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta.

Additionally, a battle is brewing between the Biden administration and America’s electrical utilities over policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The main lobbying group for US electric utilities, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), plans to oppose the Biden administration’s proposal to curb emissions from existing gas power plants. Critics argue that this opposition contradicts utilities’ commitments to reducing pollution and goes against the views of US voters.

Finally, the Republican party has been accused of exploiting America’s fentanyl crisis by linking it to Joe Biden’s immigration policies. Critics argue that Republicans misrepresent an increase in asylum seekers as a cause of the serious problem of cross-border drug smuggling. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is responsible for thousands of deaths in the US each year. The push to blame the Biden administration comes as seizures of fentanyl at the US-Mexico border reach record levels.

Overall, these recent developments have significant implications for Donald Trump and his legal battles. As the former president continues to face setbacks in court, it remains to be seen how they will impact his political future.

Original Story at www.theguardian.com – 2023-08-07 22:06:14