E. Jean Carroll, the former Elle columnist, recently celebrated her significant legal victory against Donald Trump with a star-studded party in New York City. Hosted by MSNBC’s Molly Jong-Fast at the trendy Flower Shop bar on the Lower East Side, the event saw a gathering of influential figures from the media world.
Among the attendees were Lawrence O’Donnell, another prominent figure from MSNBC, Marci Klein, a renowned producer from Saturday Night Live, Lydia Polgreen, an opinion writer for the New York Times, and Sarah Ellison of the Washington Post. The guests collectively celebrated Carroll’s $83.3 million defamation win, with many lauding her as an icon and a victor in the face of adversity.
The judgment, which awarded Carroll over three times the amount her legal team had initially sought, came after a jury agreed that Trump had defamed her by denying allegations of sexual assault dating back to 1996. In response to her win, Carroll has voiced her intention to use the funds in a manner that would displease Trump, suggesting the creation of a fund for women who have been sexually assaulted by the former president.
Trump, on his part, has criticized the verdict as ‘absolutely ridiculous’ and an infringement on his First Amendment rights, pledging to appeal the decision. He has also begun the process of selecting a new legal team to represent him in the appeal.
The celebration at the Flower Shop bar also featured other notable figures, including Tara Palmeri, a columnist for Puck, Kurt Andersen, host of the Studio 360 podcast, and Noah Shachtman, editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone. The gathering, however, has sparked controversy on social media, with critics arguing that the premature celebrations might be ill-advised given the potential for an appeal in a less favorable court.
Despite the backlash, the party underscored Carroll’s moment of triumph and the support she has garnered from friends and allies within the liberal media community.