Justice Dept. Says Trump's Denial of Rape Accusation Was an Official Act
Source: New York Times
The Justice Department said on Monday that President Trump should not be sued personally for having denied a rape allegation because he made the statement while acting in his official capacity as president.
Lawyers for the government made the argument as they defended Attorney General William P. Barrs decision to intervene in a defamation lawsuit filed in a New York court against President Trump by E. Jean Carroll, the writer.
Ms. Carroll has said that Mr. Trump raped her in a department store two decades ago and then falsely denied the attack, branding her a liar and harming her reputation.
But Justice Department lawyers say that even though the allegation concerns an incident that occurred decades before Mr. Trump became president, his denial was still an official act because he addressed matters relating to his fitness for office as part of an official White House response to press inquiries.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/19/nyregion/jean-carroll-trump-rape-lawsuit.html?referringSource=articleShare
machoneman
(4,012 posts)This claim will fade to zero when President Biden takes over. Barr's move to do this now, before any court has ruled, elminates the double jeapordy rule issue. Caroll can re-file and get justice under our new president.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)How on Earth could one deny rape charges in ones official capacity (as if he had discretion to rape or not rape pursuant to his official job duties)?
No, a charge of rape must be answered in ones individual capacity (unless rape is in ones job description, and he was NOT RAPING on behalf of the American people in his official capacity as President).
Bill Barr needs disbarment in the worst way.
-Laelth
James48
(4,441 posts)Trump thinks that raping the American people IS the job of the President.
Thats the problem.
robbob
(3,538 posts)The Rapist in Chief
alwaysinasnit
(5,075 posts)Droit du seigneur[a] ('lord's right'), also known as jus primae noctis ('right of the first night'), and prima nocta, was a supposed legal right in medieval Europe, allowing feudal lords to have sexual relations with subordinate women, in particular, on their wedding nights.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)Thats SEX, in an official capacity, but its an obviously-carved-out legal exception to the crime of rape. Even at that time, one could not rape in ones official capacity. Its not rape if the law permits it.
-Laelth
Fortinbras Armstrong
(4,473 posts)Of course, the supposed historian who wrote the script should have known that was a lie. It is just one of many lies in that film.
Fortinbras Armstrong
(4,473 posts)Of course, the supposed historian who wrote the script should have known that was a lie. It is just one of many lies in that film.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,046 posts)UpInArms
(51,284 posts)Grasswire2
(13,571 posts)Or something
Tinpot Banana Republican.
angrychair
(8,733 posts)huh?....what?...uhhhh....what?
I admit I'm not a lawyer but this seems like a significant stretch.
Gore1FL
(21,152 posts)mpcamb
(2,878 posts)Maybe that was settled with trump's "5th Avenue" notion years ago.. for Barr, at least.
keithbvadu2
(36,937 posts)So that would apply to Bill Clinton's statements about Monica?
BigmanPigman
(51,636 posts)greenjar_01
(6,477 posts)These pigs have made the United States Department of Justice into a clown show and two-bit strip mall lawyer for a despicable rapist. Horrific.
DallasNE
(7,403 posts)This seems like something from the Nixon playbook where he proclaimed "when the President does it, it is legal". That didn't go well for Nixon. And this shouldn't go well for Trump.
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,637 posts)Last edited Tue Oct 20, 2020, 07:48 AM - Edit history (1)
Link to tweet
WOW:
This is not who we need to be a role model. This justice department ruling reinforces that.
#ChildrenListen
Link to tweet
BootinUp
(47,197 posts)What is this the 18th century?
proud patriot
(100,715 posts)Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)What a steaming pile of 💩.
dchill
(38,547 posts)malthaussen
(17,217 posts)EndlessWire
(6,570 posts)Protecting his rapacious client, tRump. He has no shame whatsoever.