On Stoynoff's testimony from
@lawofruby,
CARROLL, day 6: Natasha Stoynoff was a staff writer at People for more than ten years, during which she largely covered entertainment stories. Her beats included Sex and the City . . . and a newly minted reality star (and erstwhile real estate tycoon) named Donald Trump. 1/
As a result, she was no stranger to the Trump family. By the time of her alleged assault at Mar a Lago in December 2005, she estimates she had interviewed him “8, 9, 10 times,” and in locations from Trump Tower to the set of the Apprentice. 2/
But as much as her Trump origin story, so to speak, differs substantially from that of E. Jean Carroll, the elements of the alleged assaults did not. On a combined photo shoot/interview in the backyard at MaL, Melania left to change for the next shoot. Trump pounced. 3/
He told Stoynoff he wanted to show her a “special room.” And after taking her inside & down a hall, he showed her into a beautiful ball room, she said. And as she was wondering what exactly he wanted to show her, the door slammed. She spun around. He was on her immediately. 4/
She remembers he pushed her up against a wall, kissing her. His shoulder pressed into her. She shoved back, and he was undeterred, continuing to kiss her and press himself against her. The head butler then walked in and told them Melania was ready to resume. 5/
Stoynoff doesn’t know whether the butler, who had been her point of contact for her trip, saw the attempted assault. But she recalls giving him a look like, “Help me!” and thinking he recognized it. 6/
As they left, the attempted assault turned even more sickening: Trump turned to Stoynoff and said, “You know we’re going to have an affair. You know what Marla said,” referencing the infamous New York Post cover. “Best sex I ever had.” 7/
Stoynoff being physically unable to get any words out. Nonetheless, knowing she had to return to New York with her reporting complete, she went on “autopilot” and finished the interview of Mr. & Mrs. Trump. The story — celebrating their first anniversary — ran the next month. 8/
By that time, however, Stoynoff had long before confided in a journalism professor, a friend in Los Angeles, and most importantly, her immediate supervisor at People. She was taken off that beat in a heartbeat. 9/
Still, she struggled with feeling “ashamed and humiliated,” and questioned whether she was to blame because her interviewing style was more Canadian nice than American interrogator. For years after, she said the smiley, friendly Natasha disappeared from her work persona. 10/
When the Access Hollywood tape was released 10-plus years later, Stoynoff recalls seeing it almost immediately. Her reaction was one of physical disgust; relief that she had not been his only victim; and regret that by not speaking up, she had allowed him to victimize others. 11/
Still, she hesitated when higher-ups at People, who by then had learned her story, invited her to publish it. He would have to deal with the tape at a presidential debate days later, after all. She vowed to see what he said before she wrote. 12/
But when, at that debate, he denied having ever kissed a woman without her consent, Stoynoff took People up on their invitation. The American public had a right to know who he was, she reasoned.
Attacked by Donald Trump — a PEOPLE Writer's Story
Stoynoff is not, unlike some of the other witnesses in this case, politically active. She believes she’s voted only in 3 presidential elections—and did not vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016. 14/
She was also eminently credible. Days ago, asked whether she tried to influence Stoynoff’s story during an interview for the Atlantic, Carroll drily remarked, “You can’t influence Natasha Stoynoff.” Today, I understood why. Stoynoff was grounded and sure even when she wept. 15/
Her testimony was, in fact, so powerful that the long-winded Tacopina asked her only a single question on cross examination: Do you have any claim against Donald Trump before this jury? In other words, her story may be compelling, but it’s largely irrelevant. 16/
Except they know how significant it really is; it helps demonstrate that what happened to Carroll is just a piece of a pattern that spans decades. 17/
In fact, that’s why they repeatedly (and unsuccessfully) have asked to exclude her testimony. They even argued that because Trump was interrupted as he forcibly kissed her, Stoynoff was not the victim of an attempted assault—and therefore, her testimony is inadmissible. 18/
If a former American president is held liable for assaulting and defaming a quintessentially American woman, mark my words: An indefatigable Canadian will be one key reason why. FIN
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