President-elect Donald Trump and ABC News host George Stephanopoulos will each have to sit next week for a deposition in Trump’s defamation suit against the network.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette Reid ruled that the depositions must go forward, writing in an order on Friday that the court “has already granted a lengthy discovery period . . . and, with Election Day now behind us, there is no reason for any further delay.”
Trump’s testimony will be “limited to four hours and shall take place in person” in Florida where he filed the suit. Stephanopoulos’ deposition is also limited to four hours, and he may testify remotely if necessary.
Trump’s suit against the network originated in March when Stephanopoulos claimed a jury had found Trump liable for the rape of writer E. Jean Carroll in an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace. Trump holds the jury found him liable for sexual abuse, not rape.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan oversaw the Carroll case and ruled last year that Trump’s actions met the definition of rape in common speech. Trump has appealed the Carroll case, hoping to skirt the over $83 million in damages he currently owes the writer.
ABC made several efforts to get the case dismissed over the summer, arguing unsuccessfully that Stephanopoulos’ comments were covered under fair reporting privilege due to their accuracy.
Trump is also pursuing a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS, which he alleges edited an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris unfairly. The network filed for dismissal last week, arguing that the conservative Texas court where the lawsuit was filed did not have jurisdiction over the New York network.
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