The ongoing legal battle involving former President Donald Trump and his accuser E. Jean Carroll has taken a new turn, with LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman supporting Carroll. Hoffman, a billionaire and Democrat mega-donor, has admitted to visiting Jeffrey Epstein’s private island, also known as “Pedophile Island.”
Carroll’s civil case against Trump, stemming from comments he made in 2019 rejecting her claims of rape, has entered the penalty phase. In a previous ruling, U.S. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan found that Trump had defamed Carroll when he denied raping her. A jury awarded her $5 million in damages. The current lawsuit focuses on Trump’s 2019 comments.
Reid Hoffman publicly acknowledged his support for Carroll in a LinkedIn post, emphasizing his commitment to protecting the rule of law from what he described as Donald Trump’s “scorched-earth legal methods.” Hoffman, who has donated to President Biden’s campaign and a pro-Nikki Haley PAC, declared his backing for women fighting for progress and justice, specifically mentioning his support for Carroll’s lawsuit against Trump.
However, the irony is not lost as Hoffman has ties to Jeffrey Epstein, having visited “Little Saint James” and attended a dinner with Epstein in 2015. Hoffman apologized for meeting with Epstein and claimed his last interaction was in 2015. The revelation adds complexity to Hoffman’s public stance on championing women and supporting the rule of law.
The courtroom drama has intensified, with U.S. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan reportedly threatening to kick Trump out of the courtroom, leading to Trump expressing that he would “love” for that to happen. The legal proceedings continue amid heightened tensions and revelations surrounding key figures involved in the case.
Nevertheless, in September, U.S. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ruled that Trump defamed Carroll in 2019 when he denied that he raped her. Carroll could not remember the year of the alleged assault, and there were no witnesses to back her claims. But because the jury decided Trump was liable for sexual battery and defaming Carroll, Kaplan deemed Trump’s remarks to be defamatory. The jury awarded her $5 million in damages. The second lawsuit, however, stems from comments Trump made in 2019.
While Trump’s legal team has characterized my support of Carroll’s lawsuit as “secret,” I want to be clear that I’ve never taken any steps to hide the financial support that I have provided to this lawsuit after it started. Secondly, and more importantly, while media attention is focused on this specific story, let’s not forget the overall point: the rule of law and the ideal that our courts are a mechanism of justice for all citizens, not just those with enough money and power to rig the game in their favor.
