ABC Faces Anger After $15M Trump Settlement: 'Democracy Dies' [View all]

Source: Newsweek

Published Dec 15, 2024 at 5:39 AM EST Updated Dec 15, 2024 at 11:32 AM EST


ABC News is facing backlash from both Democrats and Republicans following its $15-million settlement with Donald Trump. In a settlement announced on Saturday, ABC News agreed to pay $15 million toward Donald Trump's presidential library and issue a public apology in order to settle a defamation lawsuit over inaccurate statements made by anchor George Stephanopoulos during a broadcast earlier this year.

The settlement describes the funding as a "charitable contribution" from the broadcaster. Additionally, the network will pay $1 million in legal fees to Trump's attorneys. Trump filed the defamation suit after Stephanopoulos claimed during a March 10 segment of ABC News' This Week while interviewing Representative Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, that Trump had been "found liable for rape" in connection to writer E. Jean Carroll's lawsuits.

Neither verdict involved a finding of rape as defined under New York law. Following the settlement, which came just days after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette Reid ordered the president-elect and Stephanopoulos to submit to four-hour depositions, ABC News is facing backlash from both sides of the aisle.

"People are not going to forget what ABC did," the Republicans Against Trump X, formerly Twitter, account said. Conservative political scientist Norman Jay Ornstein added: "Add ABC to the basket of cowards in our media." Democratic attorney Marc Elias wrote: "Knee bent. Ring kissed. Another legacy news outlet chooses obedience." Reporter Oliver Willis also chimed in, writing on Threads: "This is actually how democracy dies."

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/trump-abc-news-lawsuit-settlement-reaction-2000995