The hosts of ABC’s “The View” on Thursday blasted the Trump administration for launching a criminal investigation into writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused President Trump of sexual assault and successfully sued him for millions of dollars.
“Why is the administration spending time trying to relitigate this case that was already decided by two juries? What the hell?” said co-host Whoopi Goldberg.
“Find me the sole voter who went out and voted in November because they wanted to see the Department of Justice at taxpayer expense investigate an 82-year-old woman,” said Alyssa Farah Griffin, Trump’s former communications director who is now a co-host on the show.
CNN first reported Wednesday evening that the Justice Department’s probe into Carroll will focus on whether she committed perjury in her two civil lawsuits against Trump. Carroll had testified that no outside groups were funding her lawsuit, though her lawyers later revealed that Linkedin co-founder and billionaire Reid Hoffman helped cover some of her legal fees and expenses.
Two separate juries found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming her, awarding Carroll $5 million in 2023 and $83.3 million the following year. Trump has denied the accusations, and has since asked the Supreme Court to overturn the convictions.
A federal appeals court allowed Trump to hold off on paying Carroll until the Supreme Court determines whether it will get involved.
