Tuesday brought a stark moment of accountability for Donald Trump. The former president, who leads in the latest polling for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and against Democratic incumbent Joe Biden, has not just been credibly accused of sexual abuse but found liable for it by a jury of his peers. That and the behavior he showcased at trial should remind voters of what they rejected in 2020.
Mr. Trump received a fair trial. A mixed decision after three hours of deliberations underscores that jurors weren’t out to get him: The six men and three women did not find Mr. Trump liable for allegedly raping E. Jean Carroll, as she claimed, but they agreed that he was liable for sexually abusing and defaming her, awarding her $5 million in damages.
Ms. Carroll testified in graphic detail over three days about what she says happened in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s. Two of Ms. Carroll’s friends corroborated that she told them about it shortly afterward, and two other women recounted their own stories during sworn testimony about run-ins with Mr. Trump. They are among more than a dozen women who have accused Mr. Trump of sexual assault or misconduct. In every case, he has categorically denied wrongdoing.
Mr. Trump declined to appear either on the stand or in the courtroom to face his accuser, as was his right. Instead, jurors watched video of his deposition in which he mistook a picture of Ms. Carroll for that of his second wife. This undercut his claim that the former Miss Indiana University wasn’t his type.
He also doubled down on his notorious comments in the “Access Hollywood” tape. Asked about his boast that he could grab women by the genitals because “when you’re a star, they let you do it,” Mr. Trump said: “Historically, that’s true.” He added: “Unfortunately or fortunately.”
Because this was a civil case, the jury needed to find only that a preponderance of evidence supported Ms. Carroll’s claims. In a criminal trial, prosecutors would have needed to prove them beyond a reasonable doubt — a higher standard. The standard in an election is altogether different, though the results of Tuesday’s decision have given voters compelling new evidence to take into account.
