ABC News shelled out $16 million to settle a lawsuit after longtime anchor George Stephanopoulos made a demonstrably false statement on the air about President-elect Donald Trump, saying that he had been held “liable for rape.” And according to a new report from the New York Post, the former Democratic strategist was repeatedly warned not to use the word “rape” before the segment aired.
Stephanopoulos was hosting the network’s flagship Sunday morning political show “This Week” – and speaking to guest Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) — when he challenged Mace to defend Trump despite the verdict in the E. Jean Carroll case, in which Trump was found liable for sexual abuse but not rape.
According to the Post’s report, the show’s executive producer spoke to Stephanopoulos before the show went live.
“‘This Week’ producer said, ‘Don’t use the word rape’ before the…
