As the verdict in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case came down, the debate over whether it was a “witch hunt” against former President Donald Trump only intensified.
Fox News contributors Leo Terrell and Geraldo Rivera went head-to-head on “The Story with Martha MacCallum” to discuss the Manhattan jury’s decision to find Trump liable of defamation and sexual battery in the civil case brought forth by Carroll.
Terrell argued that the jury’s decision to not find the former president liable on rape charges was a major concession and that Trump supporters view this as another witch hunt. Citing an ABC News/Washington Post poll, he said the verdict will only benefit Trump in the 2024 presidential race.
“Trump supporters are looking at this case as another witch hunt,” Terrell said. “The totality of all the civil criminal cases against Donald Trump for one reason only, they don’t want this man to run for president.”
Rivera, on the other hand, accused Trump and Terrell of being “arrogant” for allegedly scoffing at the seriousness of the case.
“To minimize a charge of sexual battery in this day in age, I think you’re being naive,” Rivera said. “In the same way the president was arrogant, Leo, you’re being arrogant if you think that this is nothing. This is not nothing. This is a sexual battery, a $5 million finding by a jury. Yes, he will appeal it and that appeal as it goes up the food chain will bring it back to the front page … he needs this like a hole in the head.”
Terrell fired back, saying that Rivera was attacking the 75 million Trump supporters and that the legal battles against Trump only make him more popular among Americans.
Regardless of whether or not the verdict in the E. Jean Carroll case is seen as a “witch hunt” against Trump, it’s clear that the former president is not backing down from the fight. Trump has been the target of numerous legal battles since leaving office, and it’s safe to say that he will continue to fight them as he looks to make a political comeback in 2024.
The problem with this witch hunt is that it’s incredibly difficult to prove a negative. Trump is being held to a standard that is near impossible to meet, and it’s hard to believe that any other person in his position would be able to withstand the legal scrutiny he has faced. It’s also worth noting that the jury found him not liable of rape, which is a major concession in and of itself.
At the end of the day, this case highlights just how deep the divide is between Trump supporters and those who oppose him. It’s clear that the issue of Trump’s guilt or innocence in this case is going to be a major point of contention in the 2024 presidential race, and it’s likely that the issue will continue to be a major topic of debate in the coming years.
