#DonaldTrump is being CALLED OUT AGAIN for defending 2 #WhiteHouse staff members who resigned after accusations of domestic violence.
Peoples lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation. Some are true and some are false. Some are old and some are new. There is no recovery for someone falsely accused – life and career are gone. Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2018
#Trump defends them, saying peoples lives are destroyed over a “mere allegation”, but back in 1989, he called for a group of Black and #Latino teenagers called The Central Park Five to be PUT TO DEATH over FALSE charges.
“You should have spoke like that back in 1989. You called for the death penalty. We were 14 & 15 years old kids.” @santanaraymond, one of the #centralparkfive.
We will tell the story. You can’t hide. https://t.co/CRdjqOLNBn
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) February 11, 2018
The #CentralParkFive were a group of 14-15 year olds (4 Black, 1 Latino) who were accused of assaulting and raping 28 year old Trisha Meili, along with other attacks in #CentralPark in 1989. Although DNA EXCLUDED them from the crimes, the teenagers were STILL tried and wrongfully convicted, based on “false and coerced confessions”.
They spent between 6-13 YEARS in PRISON.
Trump then reportedly took out an $85,000 advertisement urging the state to “bring back the death penalty” for “criminals of every age” in the rape case.
This is the full-page advertisement Donald Trump took out calling for the execution of the Central Park Five.
They were later exonerated by DNA evidence, although President Trump maintains that they are guilty. pic.twitter.com/vspZemnW93
— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) February 10, 2018
In 2002, a serial rapist named Matias Reyes who was ALREADY SERVING life in prison CONFESSED to the crime. He gave police details that only the real attacker would know. DNA proved he WAS the attacker.
The “Central Park Five” boys were released and sued the city of #NYC for “malicious prosecution, racial discrimination, and emotional distress”.
Then-mayor #MichaelBloomberg REFUSED to settle the case for OVER A DECADE. When he left office, the next mayor, #BillDeBlasio SUPPORTED their settlement and awarded them $41 million in 2014.
In 2016, Donald Trump was asked about The Central Park Five and he maintained his stance, still believing the then-teenagers were guilty of the crimes. One of The Central Park Five responded:
What more do we have to prove? I'm tired of proving our innocence! I don't care what this asshole thinks @realDonaldTrump #centralpark5
— The central park 5 (@santanaraymond) October 7, 2016
For 16 years after Matias Reyes confessed to the Central Park jogger’s rape and said that he acted alone, Trump has refused to accept the exoneration of the Central Park Five. He has also continued to make allegations without evidence that all of them committed other crimes. pic.twitter.com/fnVR7CiLBk
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) February 10, 2018
People have not forgotten Mr. Trump, nor will they forget the accusations against your White House staffers, including those who helped hide their crimes:
This man has falsely:
-Accused @BarackObama of being foreign born.
-Accused @tedcruz's father of the JFK assassination.
-Accused the DNA exonerated Central Park Five and demanded their executions.But a staffer's ex-wives turn up with photographic evidence of abuse, whoa now! https://t.co/nc3CY4NsAl
— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) February 10, 2018
I wonder whether the Central Park Five saw the President’s tweet defending Rob Porter this morning. I wrote this in 2016, partially for those who continue to believe that @realDonaldTrump gives a damn about due process, false accusations, and ruined lives. https://t.co/eEBrQq6IBH
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) February 10, 2018
President Trump, who himself stands accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct and abuse, is now defending men who are accused of violently beating women. And by accused of domestic violence, I mean the photo of an ex-wife's black eye seen around the world. My goodness. https://t.co/TMbf3OfRu7
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) February 10, 2018
When Rob Porter left his girlfriend for Hope Hicks, Porter's ex-girlfriend brought the spousal abuse accusations to the White House. Hicks was made aware, kept dating Porter, defended him internally, didn't tell POTUS and helped craft Kelly's statement. https://t.co/7kS9ia4YCO
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) February 10, 2018
There is no explanation for the timing of this @realDonaldTrump tweet other than to defend his two staff members who resigned this week for domestic violence.
Look again at the photos of the face of Porter's ex-wife after he assaulted her.
Victims deserve due process as well. https://t.co/t3zVFAkccH
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) February 10, 2018
Senior White House aide Rob Porter physically assaulted two ex-wives, they tell @theintercept. Full story to come in the morning.
His first wife, Colbie Holderness, provided these photos from a vacation they took together in Florence, Italy: pic.twitter.com/tl3TbyGA8Y
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) February 7, 2018
BOTH of his ex wives. A girlfriend. A restraining order. A picture of a woman with a black eye. https://t.co/KIjHcygbmO
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) February 10, 2018