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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Trump Takes Summer Zervos Suit to Top NY Court

Donald Trump brought an appeal Monday night to New York’s highest court, taking issue with “each and every part” of an order that advanced defamation claims against him from former “Apprentice” contestant Summer Zervos.

MANHATTAN (CN) — Donald Trump brought an appeal Monday night to New York’s highest court, taking issue with “each and every part” of an order that advanced defamation claims against him from former “Apprentice” contestant Summer Zervos.

The suit, which could require deposing a sitting U.S. president, stems from Trump’s reaction to reports from Zervos that he kissed and groped her over a decade ago.

After Zervos and celebrity attorney Gloria Allred described the alleged assault at an October 2016 press conference, Trump took to Twitter to deny what he called “100% fabricated and made-up charges,” as well as “made up stories and lies.”

After a judge denied Trump immunity in March, the First Department of the New York Supreme Court’s Appellate Division refused last week to grant Trump a stay.

Late Monday, Trump challenged that decision in a 2-page filing with the New York Court of Appeal. The president is represented by Marc Kasowitz.

Mariann Wang, an attorney for Zervos with the firm Cuti Hecker Wang, predicted another court defeat for Trump.

“The Defendant lost his effort to stay this action twice already, and for good reason,” Wang said.

When Justice Melissa Schechter rejected Trump’s motion to dismiss in March, she had stern words for the Republican.

“No one is above the law,” Schechter wrote.

Wang quoted this remark in her statement Tuesday: “No one is above the law. We believe that the sound reasoning of the lower court will prevail, and we look forward to proving Defendant lied when he attacked Ms. Zervos for telling the truth about his unwanted sexual groping.”

Trump has until May 29 to respond to Zervos’ subpoena seeking documents having to do with “any woman alleging that Donald J. Trump touched her inappropriately.”

More than a dozen women have lobbed sexual-misconduct claims against Trump, who once boasted about being able to grope women because of his celebrity.

“I don’t even wait,” Trump said on the set of “Access Hollywood” in 2005 to then-host Billy Bush. “And when you’re a star, they let you do it, you can do anything. Grab them by the pussy.”

The next hearing in the Zervos case will be June 5.

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Categories / Appeals, Civil Rights

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