Trump can’t postpone paying $83M judgment while he appeals E. Jean Carroll verdict, court rules
A Manhattan judge on Thursday denied Donald Trump’s bid to get out of coughing up $83 million as he appeals the massive verdict in writer E. Jean Carroll’s recent defamation case.
Manhattan federal Judge Lewis Kaplan had given the former president a 30-day deadline — expiring Monday — to post a bond or cash for the whopping amount, plus interest, a jury awarded to the “Ask E. Jean” advice columnist.
“Mr. Trump’s current situation is a result of his own dilatory actions,” Kaplan wrote in a brief decision Thursday, denying the 45th president’s request to delay enforcement by a few additional days.
“He has had since January 26 to organize his finances with the knowledge that he might need to bond this judgment.”
Kaplan denied Trump’s Feb. 23 request to stay the deadline, noting the real estate tycoon waited 25 days after the jury verdict to ask for the pause on the judgment.
Carroll — a New York City journalist — took the 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner to trial in January, claiming he defamed her when he denied knowing her after she went public with her sexual assault accusations against him in 2019.
The jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million on Jan. 26.
The former commander-in-chief was also hit with another massive judgment in a civil fraud case and must either pony up or secure a bond in the coming weeks for a $454 million judgment ordered by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron on Feb. 16.
Trump, 77, is planning to appeal that decision as well.
Kaplan’s ruling comes as a criminal “hush money” case is looming against Trump and which is slated for trial on March 25.
Separately Thursday, Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan — who will be overseeing the the first of four criminal cases to go to trial against Trump — ruled that jurors would remain anonymous.
Merchan’s ruling noted Trump’s “extensive history of publicly and repeatedly attacking trial jurors and grand jurors.”
Trump’s legal team and “staff and consultants” will have access to juror names, Merchan ruled.
Trump’s team didn’t return a request for comment. Carroll’s lawyer declined to comment.
