ABC chose to settle with Donald Trump over George Stephanopoulos’ on-air comments because they didn’t want the star anchor, who is ‘sloppy electronically,’ to come under further scrutiny.
Stephanopoulos was the impetus behind a lawsuit after he inaccurately said on-air that the president-elect was found ‘liable for rape’ – rather than the correct phrasing of sexual abuse – against writer E. Jean Carroll in March.
The network, which has reportedly signed Stephanopoulos to a contract extension despite the settlement, reportedly was eager to make a deal to avoid him further embarrassment via his personal correspondences.
‘He is sloppy electronically,’ a source told Puck of Stephanopoulos, somewhat ironically, as Trump once referred to him as ‘Slopadopoulos.’
More seriously, however, the source claimed: ‘They didn’t want the phone going into discovery.’
The case going further could’ve forced Stephanopoulos to give over his mobile devices and have his text messages and emails made public.
The network confirmed reports that the anchor has signed a new, multi-year contract with the network but sources told the website it comes with a pay cut from his $20-25 million-per-year and the possibility that eventually his role will be reduced.
Other reasons cited for the settlement included the likelihood that a pro-Trump judge and jury in Florida was likely to rule against them and being seen as at war with a sitting president while trying to cover him.
There were even fears that the case might be elevated to the Supreme Court, which could overturn decades old protections for the press.
The settlement stipulates that the network will pay $15 million as a charitable contribution towards Trump’s presidential library. They will also pay his legal fees as part of the settlement, which have totaled $1 million.
Stephanopoulos is reportedly ‘apoplectic’ and ‘humiliated’ about the decision by his longtime employers to pay the settlement money.
However, legal experts have claimed that ignoring multiple network warnings not to say ‘rape’ on-air likely hurt their ability to fight back against Trump.
Multiple anonymous sources now tell the New York Post that Stephanopoulos was warned not to say ‘rape’ multiple times before going to air.
The segment involved him interviewing Mace, with Stephanopoulos pressing her on why she endorsed Trump after he was found liable of sexual abuse.
Stephanopoulos said: ‘I’m asking you a question, about why you endorse someone who’s been found liable for rape?’
Mace, who has seen her stock rise since Trump’s election, accused the anchor of trying to shame her by bringing up the case.
The congresswoman went on: ‘As a rape victim, who’s been shamed for years now because of her rape. You’re trying to shame me again.’
Mace was raped when she was 16 years old and says it is what drives her to be an advocate for women’s issues.
”I have endorsed a man that I believe is best for our country. It’s not Joe Biden. You looked at the dueling rallies yesterday, in Georgia.
And here you are trying to shame a rape victim. I find it disgusting.’
‘You keep saying I’m shaming you. How is a question about a presidential candidate—’ Stephanopoulos said. ‘You’re asking a rape victim,’ Mace cut in.
The settlement, first reported by Fox News, was publicly filed on Saturday and revealed that the parties had come to an agreement in the suit.
As part of the agreement, ABC also has to post a note on its website expressing regret over the claim in a March 10 segment on ‘This Week’ made by Stephanopoulos.
A statement from the network said: ‘ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024.’
Trump had sued Stephanopoulos and the network for defamation soon after the segment aired.
His lawyers accused Stephanopoulos of making the statements with ‘malice’ and a disregard for the truth.
A New York jury in May 2023 ordered Trump to pay $5 million in damages for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s.
He was then ordered to pay another $83.3 million for defamation after he publicly denied sexually abusing Carroll in a department store dressing room in 1996.
Jurors had deliberated for less than three hours following a two-week civil trial in which the former president testified for just three minutes.
Stephanopoulos was initially defiant of the lawsuit, telling Stephen Colbert that he wouldn’t be ‘cowed out of doing my job because of a threat’.
He added: ‘Trump sued me because I used the word ‘rape,’ even though a judge said that’s in fact what did happen. We filed a motion to dismiss.’
Trump is also suing CBS News for $10 billion in damages alleging the network practiced ‘deceptive conduct’ when they interviewed Vice President Kamala Harris in October.
Lawyers for the president claimed numerous violations by the broadcaster including lying in a thoughtful and malevolent way, according to a lawsuit.
They wrote the complaint is because of ‘CBS’ partisan and unlawful acts of election and voter interference through malicious, deceptive, and substantial news distortion calculated to confuse, deceive, and mislead the public.’
Trump and his team also allege that CBS News was trying to run cover for Democrats by making Kamala Harris’ performance look better than it was.