Rep. Elise Stefanik received a swift and brutal fact check from CNN reporter Paula Reid Monday after news broke of a delay in former President Donald Trump’s defamation trial.
Stefanik threw her social media tantrum shortly after federal Judge Lewis Kaplan, learning a juror reported COVID-like symptoms and Trump’s attorney Alina Habba had been potentially exposed to the virus, adjourned the New York City courtroom for the day.
“This is blatant election interference!” Stefanik wrote on X. “Joe Biden and his Democrat cronies are the true threats to democracy!”
That’s when Reid swooped in with a fact inconvenient to Stefanik’s argument — that it was Trump's team who wanted the delay.
“Trump lawyer said she wanted an adjournment for the day,” the CNN reporter replied. “The Trump team had a choice and chose not to proceed.”
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Reid explained the judge gave Habba and Trump’s legal team the option to continue with just eight jurors, and they declined.
According to CNN analyst Elie Honig, that may be because the more jurors on the panel, the better the chance of a hung jury.
Trump has already been found liable of defaming E. Jean Carroll, the writer he’s previously been found liable for sexually abusing in the 1990s. The trial, which is linked to denials about the assault that he made while president, will determine damages.
Reid wasn’t the only person to note with cynicism Stefanik’s interpretation, which ends with the message “TRUMP 2024!”
“A juror was sick and Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba asked for an adjournment,” replied Harry Sisson. “Are you really trying to claim that this one juror AND Trump’s lawyer are trying to conspire against him?"
“This is a blatant lie,” said @Out5p0ken. “Stop with your nonsense.”