Trump calls ‘Access Hollywood’ tape ‘old news’ at deposition

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Former President Donald Trump called the infamous 2005 “Access Hollywood” tape of himself “very old news” when questioned by lawyers for rape accused E. Jean Carroll, according to a video of his deposition which was played in Manhattan federal court on Thursday.

The jury presiding over Carroll’s civil trial against Trump, 76, on Thursday morning heard — for the second time — the infamous recording of the 45th president saying he would snatch women “ to p—y” and they let him because he was a star.

“This is very old news, fully litigated,” Trump told Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan during the Oct. 19, 2022, deposition, adding that it was “locker room talk.”

The “Access Hollywood” tape was played for Trump during his sworn testimony – which was then shown to the jury. Trump didn’t know a microphone was live when he spoke to show co-anchor Billy Bush.

Kaplan asked about Trump saying on the recording that he can grab women because he’s a star.

“Well historically that’s true with stars,” Trump said in the deposition. “If you look over the last million years, I think this is more true not always but more often true – unfortunately or fortunately.”

Kaplan asked, “Do you consider yourself a star?”

“I think you could say that, yes,” Trump responded.

Donald Trump called the notorious “Access Hollywood” recording of himself speaking with show co-anchor Billy Bush “old news,” in the deposition tape played for the jury.Access Hollywood

Carroll, 79, sued Trump in November alleging he raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman fitting room in 1996. She also accused him of defaming her after she made statements in June 2019 when she denied knowing him, calling him liar, he said. the claim was a “fraud” and said he wasn’t her “type.”

During the deposition, Trump launched a series of barbs at Carroll and Kaplan including calling the former New York Magazine advice columnist “a nut job,” “a sick person” and calling his lawyer ” a political operative” as he asked her.

“This is also a hoax,” Trump said in the video. “It’s a ridiculous situation. He’s a liar and he’s a sick man in my opinion, really sick. There’s something really wrong with him.”

Clips of Trump’s video deposition were shown to the Manhattan grand jury handling E. Jean Carroll’s rape case against the former president.AP

Kaplan grilled Trump about publicly implying that his accusers were not his physical type.

Trump told Kaplan without prompting, “you’re not going to be my choice either. I’m not going to have any interest in you under any circumstances.”

In the deposition video, Trump was also shown a photo of Carroll who he mistook for his ex-wife Marla Maples.

Carroll’s attorneys said in opening statements last week that the moment was dismissing Trump’s claim that their client was not his “type.”

Retired television journalist Carol Martin testified about what Carroll told her about the alleged rape. Alec Tabak

Later Thursday morning, Carroll’s longtime friend and retired television journalist Carol Martin told the jury about how Carroll confessed to her about Trump’s alleged sexual assault.

Martin testified that he was “absolutely devastated” when Carroll told him about the alleged assault while the two were at Martin’s home.

Martin recalled how the “Ask E. Jean” columnist seemed “disturbed,” “anxious,” “anxious” and in “anxiety” as he laid out the details of how he bumped into the real estate mogul in the Fifth department Avenue store, agree to help him choose a gift for a girl.

“He’s a compass,” Carroll said. “He’s in a state of recollection … and I think as he talks it gets worse.”

Yesterday Natasha Stoynoff testified about Trump once allegedly forcefully kissing her and then telling her they were going to have an affair.AP

Carroll testified that she and Trump exchanged banter in the upscale store before he took her to the lingerie section, where she found a lace negligee that he threw at her telling her she should try it on.

Carroll said he joked back that Trump should try the see-through one-piece – before he led her into an open fitting room and carried out the alleged attack.

Martin advised Carroll not to report the incident, he told jurors.

“I volunteered that I didn’t think he should do anything because it was Donald Trump and he had a lot of lawyers and I thought he was going to bury him,” Martin recalled on the stand.

Trump says he may appear for trial.AP

“I’ve asked myself many times over the years why I told him that,” Martin said. “I’m not proud of that.”

Martin said Carroll seemed to agree with him about staying quiet, and the pair had an unspoken understanding not to talk about it with each other again — which they didn’t until when Carroll published his account of the alleged rape in a New York Magazine excerpt. of his 2019 book “What Do We Need Men For?”

Martin told jurors he was reluctant to be publicly identified as one of two people Carroll opened up about the alleged assault. He questioned Carroll’s choice to come forward and press charges because he “felt [Carroll] was beaten” in public.

Later Tuesday, Carroll called a communications and marketing professor to testify about the alleged impact of Trump’s public statements on Carroll’s reputation.

And the last witness called in Carroll’s case was Roberta Myers, the former editor-in-chief of Elle, who testified about how Carroll was beloved by her readers and a steadfast journalist.

Another friend of Carroll’s who she said she confided in, Lisa Birbach, testified Tuesday about how Carroll called her shortly after leaving Bergdorf’s she was “hyperventilating” on the phone.

Two other Trump accusers, Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff, were also called as witnesses by Carroll to speak about their own alleged sexual assaults by Trump, in an effort to show that the former commander-in-chief has a pattern of misconduct against women.

The trial has been underway since last week and testimony concluded late Thursday, with the jury scheduled to begin deliberations early next week.

Trump was not present at the trial and his attorney, Joe Tacopina, said his client did not plan to attend.

However, Judge Lewis Kaplan told Tacopina that his client may have until 5 p.m. Sunday to change his mind about whether he wants to testify at trial.

Kaplan said he would not necessarily grant the request but said he would leave the window open in light of comments Trump made from Ireland that he might come to trial.

“Because I know you know that there have been news reports from the British Isles all day linking Mr. Trump with various statements about his possible presence here before this trial is over.”

Kaplan said after 5 p.m. if he doesn’t hear from Trump, “that ship will have irretrievably sailed.”

Closing arguments are set for Monday.

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