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.
Tilikum, while I don’t expect you to respond directly (that’s not your style) I’ll do this anyway:
What were your posts mirroring exactly? Others have explained why your “i trust the woman” doubling down doesn’t work here, as you ignore the fact that she said different things in different situations. So you must look at the situation and use logic. First she told her closest friends that he raped her. That was in a setting of trust to people she loved. Then she backed away from calling it rape in settings that are essentially Trump’s domain, with his access to money and many lawyers. So you believe the woman in a situation of duress against someone else with all the power, but don’t believe what she said when in a close safe environment. Please explain your logic here.
I honestly don’t get your point here. Can you explain? Is this simply you telling us we’re making a big deal out of nothing? If so, what is the nothing we’re making a big deal of?
Why bring this up? Was that your purpose? Just to get attention and not to have a serious conversation?
Which issue? Trump’s rape of his wife? Or something else. And if it’s not the rape, what are the “sides” exactly?
I don’t think people calling you an asshole is especially vicious. And they didn’t do that until you made it clear you weren’t here for an actual conversation. A conversation is both ways. Not you talking at people.
@weirwoodtreehugger
It’s because he was “dogpiled”, I guess
For all of Tilli’s verbosity he has failed to make any kind of point. People have pointed out at least twice that saying “I choose to believe women” is meaningless when the woman you’re referring to gave contradicting statements. That should be a no-brainer.
Is he trying to make us say that we don’t trust women, in an attempt to prove something?
MRAs constantly try to set up stupid “gotchas” for feminists, which usually fall through because they’re stupid and transparent as air. I think they want to have something to screencap and show to their buddies with shouts of “lol feminism isn’t about equality see!” or “feminists don’t care about x!” or some other bullshit.
But like I said, it rarely works. Because most MRAs are pretty damn dense by the looks of it.
@Tilikum
Oh, you were just gathering data for your non-existent study? Is this the smug form of the “lol I troll u, bored now” flounce? If so, please stick it.
@ EJ (TOO)
That’s very kind. In the unlikely event I ever decide to grow up; I’ll give you a shout.
It’s funny that a few people from WHTM’s comment section clicking on the troll’s user name amounts to, in troll’s words, “a metric shit ton of traffic” to his blog. Y’know, since their usual talking point is that WHTM is a tiny blog with not many readers at all.
Sent this straight the fuck to my sister, who was planning to vote for him. Count her and her husband’s votes out, as well as any of their families who will listen. I thought the guy was gross before, and just this side of criminal, but it turns out he’s a flat out disgusting, evil rotten shitball on whom I wish all manner of awfulness.
I also Twitted at the authors of the article and reminded them of what complete badasses they are for standing up to that kind of money. Of course, the dumbass lawyer actually emailing threats to them probably helped, but still.
@STH:
Michele Bachmann won the Iowa straw poll in August, 2011. The next day, the cable news shows didn’t talk about her at all. It was all Rick Perry, Mike Huckabee, etc., etc.
Probably the only time in my life I have felt sorry for Michele Bachmann, honestly.
Two more things–
@Pandapool
BAAAAAHHH more Inquisition posts! Solas is a stupid jerk, though. And I can’t break it off with him and date Sera, dammit.
@Troll folk
Oh wow, no way. You only believe women who say they weren’t raped. Cue surprised face:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/grumpy-cat-makes-whopping-100m-4764916?sa=X&ved=0CDYQ9QEwEGoVChMI5J3M382AxwIVwhkeCh07JA7z
Aw why, mammoth?
It was a grumpy cat face. My surprised face was a grumpy cat face. Because I was being sarcastic.
@SFHC:
http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view4/1756903/amazing-mushroom-cloud-o.gif
@SFHC:
I hardly think there’s call for that sort of incivility *clutches pearls* *has someone fetch my fainting couch*
*clutches Pearl*
http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/steven-universe/images/9/99/Amythest_Pearl_hug.gif/revision/latest?cb=20150215004825
@ryeash
To tame the Embed Mammoth, make sure the link to the image ends with the file name and extention: http://www.example.com/grumpy.gif (not a real link so won’t embed 😉 )
@Luzbelitx
Ahh, thank you! I shall Google images more smarter in the future 🙂
My friend’s boss is Michelle Bachman’s neighbor. She and her family don’t clean up after their dog’s poop.
@WWTH: Well I wasn’t saying I felt very sorry for her. 😛
@Newt
He’s from Shiteau Heartsuck, so naturally his smug egotistical condescending delusions of superiority is just him trying to be the alpha male and seduce us with his proper spelling. In his mind, he is some master manipulator and we are all dancing to his rhythm. Had he remained, he would probably try to imply that us finding out about his real identity WAS ALL PART OF HIS PLAN!!!1111!!!
Well played. I concede the point.
RE: Donald Trump saying that all the women on the apprentice flirted with him.
I don’t understand why the most morally and intellectually repulsive dudebros think that the are literally irresistible to everyone around them. These types are always homophobic too, becauseobviously ALL THE GAY MEN ARE GOING TO RELENTLESSLY HIT ON THEM, EW. No, guys. No one of any orientation wants you. You’re fucking awful.
Trumpery’s wife said: ” Incidentally, I think he would make an incredible president.”
I would say the same thing, but I don’t think I’d be using “incredible” in quite the the same sense.
He’s a stupid jerk, but he’s MY stupid jerk.
http://31.media.tumblr.com/4e09b9fd01297cf10419dfc9eeffa734/tumblr_ng92ij8Wpw1tnisgno1_500.gif
Sera is also equally stupidly jerky (and really, really insensitive like fuck actually; I can say at least Solas apologizes), but she’s ALSO my stupid jerk.
http://static.tumblr.com/621e7003111adcfe2e0fe8400d23da22/7m5ufl9/RNKnkc9bk/tumblr_static_1360dhcqkgn4wcsswso0cc4g0.gif
They’re both assholes who I love and they snort when they laugh those jerks. Why do you both have to be such fucks to Dalish you smug assholes I love you don’t ever change you frustrating, hypocritical, self-hating asshats. You smiles light up my life but I am either not elfy enough or too elfy WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO MY HEART STOP.
Re Tilikum: “Anyway, it has spiked a metric shit ton of traffic to my empty blog ”
At least he recognizes the quality of the traffic he’s receiving.
“As both a mental health and media professional”
He works as an orderly in a mental hospital and moonlights as a cleaning person in a newspaper office, and has picked up some of the lingo, particularly the psychobabble.
Or he’s Dr Phil. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dr. Phil was a manurespherian.
Or maybe “If she wasn’t my daughter, I would never have found out about that really good book/movie/band/hobby/food that she introduced me to.”
Although now the grammarian in me wants to point out that it should be “If she *weren’t* my daughter.”