Donald Trump's lawyer apologizes for 'inarticulate comment' about marital rape
When confronted with an old allegation that Donald Trump had once raped his wife Ivana (she later clarified it wasn’t “in a literal or criminal sense”), a special counsel for Trump’s organization vehemently denied the assertion.
“You’re talking about the frontrunner for the GOP, presidential candidate, as well as a private individual who never raped anybody,” lawyer Michael Cohen told the Daily Beast in a story published on Monday.
“And, of course, understand that by the very definition, you can’t rape your spouse,” Cohen said. “There’s very clear case law.”
Cohen was wrong: The marital rape exemption was struck down in New York 1984, the article says. According to the FiveThirtyEight blog, marital rape has been illegal in all 50 states since 1993 when North Carolina became the last state to make marital rape a crime.
“I will make sure that you and I meet one day while we’re in the courthouse,” Cohen continued in his comments to the Daily Beast reporter. “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.”
Trump distanced himself from the rape remark on Tuesday, telling CNN that Cohen was speaking for himself.
Cohen also backtracked on Tuesday, issuing an apology and explaining why he was angry when questioned by the reporter.
“As an attorney, husband and father there are many injustices that offend me but nothing more than charges of rape or racism,” Cohen said. “They hit me at my core. Rarely am I surprised by the press, but the gall of this particular reporter to make such a reprehensible and false allegation against Mr. Trump truly stunned me. In my moment of shock and anger, I made an inarticulate comment—which I do not believe—and which I apologize for entirely.”
Ivana Trump issued this statement about the old allegations: “I have recently read some comments attributed to me from nearly 30 years ago at a time of very high tension during my divorce from Donald. The story is totally without merit. Donald and I are the best of friends and together have raised three children that we love and are very proud of. 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.”
