The Department of Justice has reportedly opened a perjury investigation into E. Jean Carroll over testimony tied to her civil lawsuits against President Donald Trump.
According to CNN, investigators are examining statements Carroll made during a 2022 deposition in which she claimed her lawsuits were not being funded by outside sources. The scrutiny reportedly intensified after revelations that billionaire LinkedIn co-founder and Democratic donor Reid Hoffman helped finance some of her legal fees and related expenses through his nonprofit organization, American Future Republic.
Carroll previously won two massive civil judgments against Trump stemming from allegations that he sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store dressing room in the 1990s and later defamed her by publicly denying the accusations.
In May 2023, a federal jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding Carroll $5 million in damages. A second jury later ordered Trump to pay an additional $83.3 million in a separate defamation case after the president continued publicly disputing her claims.
Trump has consistently denied Carroll’s allegations and has maintained he never assaulted her. The president has also repeatedly challenged the rulings in court and continues appealing both judgments.
The report noted that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has recused himself from the perjury investigation because he previously served as Trump’s personal attorney during the Carroll appeals process.
The investigation is reportedly being overseen by other Justice Department officials and has been referred to prosecutors based in Chicago.
The development marks the latest twist in the years-long legal battle between Trump and Carroll, which became one of the most politically explosive courtroom fights involving the president before his return to the White House.
The post DOJ Opens Perjury Probe Into Trump Accuser E. Jean Carroll appeared first on Real News Now.
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