ABC News host and former Clinton operative George Stephanopoulos is reportedly “humiliated” and “apoplectic” over his network settling with President-elect Donald J. Trump, where the liberal network will have to cough up $15 million and offer an apology. The money will be used for the eventual presidential library for the 45th and 47th president of the United States. Stephanopoulos got the network in hot water when he repeatedly said that Trump was found liable for rape. Stephanopoulos deleted his Twitter account following the ruling (via NY Post):
Stephanopoulos, who claimed Trump had raped E. Jean Carroll during an interview with Republican lawmaker Nancy Mace, was particularly upset about being forced to apologize, a source with knowledge of the situation said.
Another source told The Post that “George is defiant.”
A third source said Stephanopoulos “is a very guarded person. His circle of trust is so small, and a lot of them don’t work [at ABC anymore].“
[…]
He has deactivated his X account, where he had more than 2.3 million followers.
Some ABC News staffers fumed at management for keeping a tight lid on coverage of the settlement, the first source said.
It was “front page news everywhere yet ABC doesn’t report on itself,” the source lamented.
[…]Three sources told The Post that morale is down after a series of layoffs in all departments..
The settlement “is another gut punch,” one of the people said. “It’s sheer level embarrassment. People are furious.”
The settlement was announced just a day after a judge ruled that Stephanopoulos and Trump had to sit for depositions in the case. The depositions were scheduled for this week.
Yeah, no one feels bad for these cretins, sorry. They misbehaved, and now they have been punished. As for George, well, do better. Cope and seethe. Trump won…again.
The gross and defaming inaccuracies spewed by Mr. Stephanopoulos were uttered while sparring with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) last March:
JUST IN: ABC News forced to pay $15 million to Trump to settle defamation lawsuit, George Stephanopoulos forced to issue public apology.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 14, 2024
The development stems from a March incident where Stephanopoulos claimed Trump was found “liable for r*pe.”
Now, ABC News has to pay $15… pic.twitter.com/jsRuetccuv
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