MSNBC host blasts ABC and George Stephanopoulos’ $15 million defamation settlement with Trump as Democrats AND Republicans turn on broadcaster

MSNBC’s Symone Sanders-Townsend has criticized ABC News and George Stephanopoulos after the main anchor and the broadcaster he works for agreed to settle a $15 million defamation lawsuit between the network and Donald Trump.

But it wasn’t just Democratic-leaning commentators who seemed dissatisfied with the settlement; Republicans also seemed frustrated that the news organization believed the company should have been forced to pay more, while hoping other broadcasters would soon be held accountable.

The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed by Trump over comments Stephanopoulos made during a This Week broadcast in March in which he falsely stated how Trump had been found liable for the rape of writer E. Jean Carroll.

During MSNBC’s The Weekend Sunday, Sanders-Townsend argued that Stephanopoulos’ comments seemed “factually accurate” to her when viewed in the broader context of the case.

She suggested the settlement raises questions about its potential implications for journalistic freedom, adding that the payout to Trump has a “chilling effect.”

Sanders-Townsend expressed concern that the settlement could set a troubling precedent for the media in the future.

“I would just say, I mean, this feels like it has a real chilling effect. Like, I mean, calling out the Standards Department standards always makes sure that we keep the bar high, substantive and accurate,” she began.

“But what George Stephanopoulos said in that interview, it seems to contradict what the judge said, and now his news organization and himself, George Stephanopoulos himself, are paying $1 million of his own money to the lawyers and ABC is paying $15 million . It’s crazy,” Sanders-Townsend said.

Legal columnist Harry Litman, formerly at the Los Angeles Times, was also unimpressed by ABC’s settlement of the lawsuit.

“I started to think that the ABC boardroom was somehow involved in this decision,” Litman said on MSNBC. “And my big concern is that it’s somehow related to the fact that he’s about to become president.

“So I hope we’ll learn how the boardroom has affected the legal space here. But considering the timing, he’s on a roll, which is really troubling in terms of the public’s confidence in the criminal justice system and the confidence of the media, and who’s left behind the media to tell the truth, that he’s going after them will come? , making their lives miserable, and so far it has been successful,” Litman added.

Marc E. Elias, a Democratic election lawyer, accused ABC News of bending the knee and kissing the ring by settling.

‘Knee bent. Ring kissed. Another old news channel chooses obedience,” he wrote on X.

“First the LA Times, then the Washington Post and now ABC News. They all fall into the hands of Donald Trump. When George Stephanopoulos said Trump “raped” E. Jean Carroll, he was using the word colloquially. Trump was found guilty of sexual assault,” USA Today opinion columnist Michael J. Stern wrote to Bluesky.

Another reporter, Justin Baragona, formerly of the Daily Beast and now at The Independent, wrote of Bluesky: “This sets a troubling precedent.”

MSNBC legal analyst Barbara McQuade also raised concerns about the future impact of such a settlement.

‘Normally in defamation cases you have to prove that the person has been defamed, that there is actual malice and that the core of the story was false. In addition, you must demonstrate that the person’s reputation has been damaged in this way. It seems like ABC had a very strong case here, and yet they caved anyway. And I think it sends a bad signal to other media companies.

“It could have a chilling effect or self-censoring effect on the media as they cover the Trump administration. Of course, a strong free press is essential to any administration, especially one in which Donald Trump has vowed to go after his enemy,” McQuade said.

On the other side of the aisle, Republicans were in turn criticizing ABC News in what they believe is part of a reporting bias against Trump.

‘I hope there are more of them. ABC is not the only news outlet to have made these claims,” Joshua Walker tweeted.

“The propagandists are literally being forced to fund Trump’s museum. Awesome,” wrote Collin Rugg.

‘Lol @ having to pay for the presidential museum. That’s worse than just paying the money right away,” another Republican added cheerfully.

“The only way the traditional media and these people will change their ways is by being held accountable for their lies, a good start,” said Klay Thompson.

“ABC should pay more than that. The lies and blatant propaganda they have pumped out as truth must never happen again! Canceling The View should happen now to avoid more lawsuits,” wrote X user Sully.

The comments in question came during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), in which Stephanopoulos discussed Carroll’s civil lawsuit against Trump.

In that case, a jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming Carroll, and awarded her $5 million in damages.

However, the jury did not conclude that Trump committed rape as defined under New York law.

Stephanopoulos’ wording – in which he referred to Trump as “found responsible for rape” – became the crux of the defamation case.

Trump argued that the statements were made with “malice” and without regard to the legal distinction that the jury’s verdict did not meet the state’s specific definition of rape.

During the interview, Stephanopoulos pressed Mace, saying, “Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape.”

In response, Trump filed a lawsuit, claiming such statements misrepresented the jury’s findings and caused reputational damage.

At the time, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who presided over the trial, noted that the legal definition of rape in New York law is more limited than what is commonly understood.

As part of the agreement, ABC publicly apologized for the inaccurate statements and agreed to fund $15 million for Trump’s presidential library, describing the payment as a “charitable contribution.”

ABC also agreed to cover $1 million in legal fees for Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito.

While the settlement bars Stephanopoulos and Trump from testifying in depositions.

Critics argue that such lawsuits could encourage public figures to sue media organizations for critical reporting, potentially stifling free speech.