People in glass Trump Towers shouldn’t throw stones — or, perhaps, throw around accusations of rape, as one Donald Trump did recently in his now infamous remarks suggesting that Mexican immigrants are a bunch of rapists.
A must-read story yesterday in The Daily Beast points out that Trump is not only a rape accuser of sorts, but someone who was once very publicly accused of rape — by his now-former wife Ivana Trump, who, in a deposition in her divorce case against the Donald in the early 90s, said that she’s been attacked one night by her then husband in a fit of rage, screaming at her and pulling out her hair before ripping off her clothes and raping her.
The Beast reports that, according to Lost Tycoon, a 1993 book about Trump by journalist Harry Hurt III, Ivana told her closest friends that “he raped me.” Later, though, in a statement she provided through Trump’s lawyers, and that was reprinted in the book as “A Notice to Readers,” Ivana backed away from the R-word, saying that
[a]s a woman, I felt violated, as the love and tenderness, which he normally exhibited towards me, was absent. I referred to this as a ‘rape,’ but I do not want my words to be interpreted in a literal or criminal sense.
Make of that what you will.
At the time, the Daily Beast notes, Trump declared the account in the book
incorrect and done by a guy without much talent … He is a guy that is an unattractive guy who is a vindictive and jealous person.
Very Trumpian.
But even more remarkable than this bizarre denial was the even Trumpier response that Michael Cohen, one of Trump’s lawyers, gave to the Daily Beast writer who asked him about the allegations:
You’re talking about the front-runner for the GOP, presidential candidate, as well as private individual who never raped anybody.
Evidently one cannot be a rapist if one is polling better than Jeb Bush.
Cohen continued:
And, of course, understand that by the very definition, you can’t rape your spouse.
As the Beast points out, Cohen is completely wrong here. Not only is marital rape illegal in New York state now; it was illegal in New York state in 1989, the date of the alleged rape.
Perhaps sensing he wasn’t getting anywhere with the “you can’t rape your spouse” angle, “Trump’s lawyer then changed tactics,” the Beast reports,
lobbing insults and threatening a lawsuit if a story was published.
“I will make sure that you and I meet one day while we’re in the courthouse. And I will take you for every penny you still don’t have. And I will come after your Daily Beast and everybody else that you possibly know,” Cohen said. “So I’m warning you, tread very fucking lightly, because what I’m going to do to you is going to be fucking disgusting. You understand me?”
“You write a story that has Mr. Trump’s name in it, with the word ‘rape,’ and I’m going to mess your life up…for as long as you’re on this frickin’ planet…you’re going to have judgments against you, so much money, you’ll never know how to get out from underneath it,” he added.
Someone’s a bit grouchy.
Cohen continued, telling the Beast that
there is nothing reasonable about you wanting to write a story about somebody’s usage of the word ‘rape,’ when she’s talking [about] she didn’t feel emotionally satisfied.”
“Though there’s many literal senses to the word, if you distort it, and you put Mr. Trump’s name there onto it, rest assured, you will suffer the consequences. So you do whatever you want. You want to ruin your life at the age of 20? You do that, and I’ll be happy to serve it right up to you,” he added.
Given that the Beast ran the story, and we’re talking about it now, it kind of, sort of, appears that Cohen’s Trumpian lawyering backfired a little bit. And that’s a very good thing, because this is a story that needs to be re-aired.
steampunked (@steampunked):
Most of those quotes were definitely disturbing, but when he talked about ownership of Miss USA and Miss Universe, he meant his company owns the pageants. Not that that makes him some great authority of beauty or anything. Ick.
Strike the “Most of” from my quote above.
And here was me thinking that Silvio Berlusconi was an aberration.
Tessa, yeah, I get that 🙂 I still think it’s pretty skeezy in terms of thinking, he’s incredibly focused on the idea that he gets to define the nature of reality simply by having money. I’m sure there’s a neat summation of that particular brand of political thought…
But it’s quite funny, really, you can put that together with ‘I deserve this power due to being rich’ and I can almost bet I can find quotes from the same guy defending homophobia and racism. It seems to be one in, all in, with these types.
Huh. Now where have I seen that sort of sentiment before…
http://i.imgur.com/Isxml24.png
… Oh yeah.
(Err, I should point out that’s not me. Just picked a random one from Google. =P)
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that nothing good can follow “If she wasn’t my daughter…”
AAAAAARGH. No, women do not “unconsciously” flirt. Flirting requires a conscious action. It is a proactive thing to do.
Fixing the quote: “I am so full of myself and so convinced that all women desperately want me, that I’m sure all of the women on The Apprentice really wished they could get a piece of this. Also I was ogling them the entire time.”
Brb, going to flip a table.
Trump is odious. I worked in a place he owned and actually met him and 3 of his children. Don Jr was lovely, I couldn’t say much for the others. It is absolutely horrendous if this is true, not shocking but surprising. His own ego is so massive that I would be surprised at him forcing himself on someone, he would just write them out of the scenario, but as proven by recent high profile cases it’s just not too much of a surprise . One of his odious comments was that he had never had to pay a woman to be with him, they always wanted to be. Thouroughly dislike the man but given that most politicians and business tycoons have contempt for their fellow humans….I don’t know why I find this so distressing. I just guess he always wore his assholeness so openly that I didn’t think there was hidden depths of assholery and predatory behaviour. I am just shook and upset sorry for the ramble this had struck closer to home than it should and just gives me some unpleasant flashbacks
@katz
“If she wasn’t my daughter, I would still treat her as a human being.” 🙂
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/29/donald-trump-distances-himself-lawyer-marital-rape-comments
“On Tuesday, the Trump campaign also issued a statement on behalf of his former wife”
Hmm, wonder who drafted that statement?
“I have nothing but fondness for Donald and wish him the best of luck on his campaign. Incidentally, I think he would make an incredible president.”
Oh, that sounds natural, probably was her.
As a man, I choose to call you a lying MRA asshole, Tilikum; I don’t think anyone here is fooled by you. You’re just taking what you think is an opportunity to show up hypocrisy, but of course no-one who says “trust women” when they allege rape or harrassment means that one should believe two contradictory statements, or believe either allegations or the withdrawal of allegations when there is clear reason not to. And, as I already noted, Ivana ex-Trump did not say that the article is false.
This troll’s sole asset, it seems, is to make his failure to argue an insufferably pretentious one.
I’m coming to the conclusion that the reason why Trump’s electoral campaign is doing so well is that people see an idealised form of themselves in him. It’s a case of “wow, I wish I was rich enough to escape any meaningful consequences of my actions. I could go around being an asshole and a rapist all day long.” It’s the same reason why Berlusconi and Zuma continue to get reelected.
Trump isn’t so much an asshole – I mean, he is, don’t get me wrong – as a symptom of the sickness in our society.
The good news is that unlike Savile or Cosby the rape stories are coming out now, rather than when it’s too late; and unlike Berlusconi or Zuma he’ll lose the election and have to cope with a very public and very ugly defeat.
It’s safe to say that my posts here, there, and everywhere, when considered as the mirror they are intended to be, reflect quite a bit of anti-social ugliness. I wonder if life has become so easy that our minds, unable to deal with the lack of struggle, choose to invent drama and derision as an adjustment tool. To keep it sharp and non-complacent.
Anyway, it has spiked a metric shit ton of traffic to my empty blog (I assume so folks can validate selection bias) which has sparked a new idea. As both a mental health and media professional, you have inspired me to start thinking about a documentary on this very issue, and with the (anonymously of course) interesting actors of both sides.
Thank you all for the valuable (if not wildly vicious) example from which to draw.
I have thus far not weighed in on Tilikum. Here is my view of you, Tilikum. It comes from a fellow white guy who over-writes his prose.
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cassidy3.jpg
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cassidy4.jpg
This might explain why, when I left a comment on my friend’s Facebook wall, stating in very restrained terms how unimpressed I am with Trump, I got a PM from a friend-of-a-friend I have never met, saying, “I don’t like this post. Please remove it.”
The dude had a rainbow filter on his profile picture. Admits that Trump’s stance on gay marriage is “regrettable”. Thinks it’s all okay because at least there’s someone out there brave enough to speak his mind. And then tells a total stranger to delete her critical comment.
-1000 faith in humanity.
Tilikum, we all look forward to your documentary.Might I suggest you procure the assistance of one Davis Aurini? He is said — by himself at least — to be a very talented young director with considerable experience in, well, not filmmaking, but he’s probably got some sort of experience.
Anyway, what I’m really trying to say to you is goodbye.
Here I am; what can I do for you?
Wildly vicious? The worst we’ve done is call you an asshole. Yet, I bet you’re someone who thinks Anita Sarkeesian is making a big deal over nothing, street harassment is a compliment, and we live in a PC culture run amok.
You’re just mad that despite what you perceive to be your superior intellect, you didn’t fool anybody. We all realized right away that you’re a misogynist and a troll.
From your time posting here, I’d have to say, an empty blog symbolizes your entire personality. If you really want to consider this some sort of victory, good for you? It’s not like you have anything else going for you.
Hugs, Kootiepatra.
To restore your faith in humanity, let us gaze into the future.
Let us look at a specific date: 9 November 2016, when Donald Trump has to go on Fox News and explain to his supporters how it was that he was beaten like a piñata by a mere woman. See the look on his face. See the bellicose rage and bluster which he attempts to use to paper over his frailty and despair. See the nervousness with which his toadies, lickspittles and yes-men edge away from him. Most of all, see the pathetic anger amongst his supporters as they realise that they lost because the vast majority of humanity didn’t want any part of them, and humanity is becoming increasingly assertive about telling bellicose assholes to fuck off.
@butthole
Go away or I shall taunt you a second time.
Or maybe just dance on your head for a while. Either or.
@David: Davis Aurini is very skilled at fundraising for documentaries. He could also help with lighting the set during shoots. You know, with gaslights.
@Alan: One day, I want to grow up to be you.
@WWTH:
http://waltbox.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/let-me-see-your-cigarette-lighters.jpg
Tilicum a mental health professional? Now that’s a scary thought.
The only ‘mirror’ your comments provide, T, is to your own conscience-free character. And it is not a pretty sight.
Haven’t chimed in on the Tilikum troll yet, but would like to add: disingenuous little shit, aren’t you? We’ve outed you for what you really are several times over yet you’re still posting with a strong overtone of smugness, like you’ve still managed to fool us. I’ve no idea why you’re doing that but my guess is that you can’t quite handle that you got busted immediately after your first couple comments.