Democracy Now! Audio - Democracy Now! 2026-05-19 Tuesday

Episode Date: May 19, 2026

Headlines for May 19, 2026; 3 Killed in Devastating San Diego Mosque Shooting: Linda Sarsour on Rising Anti-Muslim Hate & More; “Ask E. Jean” Film Profiles the Woman Who Twice Sued Trump & Won, for Sexual Assault & Defamation; Minnesota Officials Charge ICE Agent Who Shot Venezuelan Immigrant & Falsely Reported What Happened

From New York, this is Democracy Now. My community is mourning. This is something that we have never expected to take place. But at the same time, the religious intolerance and the hate, unfortunately, that exist in our nation, is unprecedented. In California, two teenage gunmen attacked the Islamic Center of San Diego Monday, killing three people and what authorities are saying was a suspected hate crime. The center housed both a mosque and a school. We'll get the latest.

Plus, we go to Minneapolis, where state officials have charged an ICE agent with shooting a Venezuelan immigrant, then falsely reporting what happened. We'll also look at a new documentary about E. Jean Carroll, who successfully sued Donald Trump twice in federal court. He was found guilty, civilly liable for sexual abuse and defamation. If you were concerned about being dragged through the mud, why would you choose to sue Donald Trump? Because he called me a liar, and I couldn't let it stand.

I called you right after the attack. I was very disappointed that you wouldn't report him. They never would have believed me. We'll speak to filmmaker Ivy Miracle, director of the new film Ask E Gene. All that and more coming up. Welcome to DemocracyNow. DemocracyNow.org, the Warren Peace Report. I'm Amy Me Goodman.

President Trump said Monday he postponed an imminent U.S. attack on Iran at the request of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Trump's reversal came after he repeatedly threatened to launch new strikes, warning Iran there won't be anything left of them. We were getting ready to do a very major attack tomorrow. I've put it off for a little while. Hopefully, maybe forever, but possibly for a little while. Because we've had very big discussions with Iran,

and we'll see what they amount to. It's not clear whether there have been any breakthroughs and stalled talks to end the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran. Iranian negotiators continue to demand an end to the U.S. naval blockade of Iran's ports, the release of Iran's frozen assets, and the lifting of international sanctions. Iran's foreign ministry said it remains skeptical after President Trump twice ordered attacks on Iran while negotiations were underway. every diplomatic process with deep distrust and serious skepticism in order to safeguard the national interests of Iran. Iran is aware that given the U.S.'s track record of undermining negotiations, it might repeat the same actions at any moment. The Trump administrations imposed a U.S. entry ban

on foreigners who've traveled in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past three weeks. The order came, as the World Health Organization said, an outbreak of Ebola virus, and the DRC in Uganda has reached 500 suspected cases and 130 suspected deaths with those numbers expected to rise. This is the WHO's Director General Tedros Adnan Gabriasis. I'm deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic. The WHO says the DRC will open three Ebola treatment centers in the eastern Eturi province, where the outbreak began. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control says a U.S. doctor tested positive for Ebola after working with a medical missionary group in Congo. Dr. Peter Stafford was exposed to the virus while treating patients in the capital of Aturi province.

He's been evacuated to Germany for treatment. To see our interview with Dr. Craig Spencer, who was positive for Ebola virus about a decade ago, but now is critiquing U.S. policy on Ebola and other viruses, we go to DemocracyNow.org. Israeli forces are continuing to intercept ships with a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla off the coast of Cyprus, more than 50 ships with a global smooth flotillas. sail from the Turkish port city of Marmaris last week. According to organizers, Israeli forces have intercepted 41 of their boats in the eastern Mediterranean, about 250 nautical miles from Gaza, which is under an Israeli maritime blockade. Video shows armed Israeli commandos climbing onto boats. 337 activists have been taken into custody. Ten boats are still sailing towards Gaza. Meanwhile, thousands of protesters

took to the streets in Italy and Greece in solidarity with the Gaza-bound activists as world leaders condemned the Israeli raid. Malaysian Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, wrote on social media, quote, The world cannot continue to bow to tyranny and corruption. The oppression against Palestinians and those who mobilize and deliver humanitarian aid must be stopped immediately. And Israel must face justice and accountability, he said. This is Turkey's president, Rechip Erdogan.

I curse in the strongest terms this act of piracy and banditry against the passengers of hope on the Sumud flotilla, compromised of citizens of 40 different countries. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure the safe return of our citizens on the flotilla. We call on the international community to take action against Israel's lawless and rule-breaking actions. In California, two teenage attackers fatally shot three people on Monday at the Islamic Center of San Diego. the largest mosque in San Diego County. Among the dead was a security guard, Amin Abdullah, a father of eight, who police said played a pivotal role in saving children's lives. The suspects, age 17 and 19, were found dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds in a car near the scene.

Police are investigating the attack as a hate crime. Law enforcement officials told CNN hate speech was scrawled on one of the weapons. A suicide note that contained writings about racial pride was also found, according to the officials. Care, the Council on American Islamic Relations, noted the attack comes as anti-Muslim bias complaints reached their highest level on record last year, with 8,683 complaints filed nationwide. This is Taha Hussain, the Imam and director of the Islamic Center of San Diego. My community is mourning. This is something that we have never expected to take place. But at the same time, the religious intolerance and the hate, unfortunately, that exist in our nation, is unprecedented.

After headlines, we'll be speaking with Linda Sarsour in Minnesota, the prosecutors to file criminal charges against an ICE officer who allegedly shot a Venezuelan immigrant in North Minneapolis during an immigration raid in January lied about what happened. On Monday, Hennepin County attorney Mary Moriarty announced federal agent Christian Castro will face four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. Counts of assault are a result of Mr. Castro shooting through the front door of a resident. with the intent to cause fear of immediate bodily harm or death to the four adults who were just inside the door. These charges have activated a nationwide warrant for his arrest.

Venezuelan immigrant Julio Sosceles suffered a leg wound when Castro allegedly shot him through the door. The Trump administration initially claimed that Castro fired in self-defense after accusing Sosa Seles and another man of beating an officer with a broom handle and snow shovel. A federal judge later dismissed those charges after video evidence clearly contradicted it. This comes as Hennepin County prosecutors continue to investigate the killings of Renee Good and Alex Preti by federal agents during the Trump administration's violent immigration enforcement campaign known as Operation Metro Surge. We'll go to Minneapolis later in the broadcast. A new report finds more than 100,000 children in the U.S. have had a parent detained since the Trump administration began its mass deportation campaign last year. That's far more than under President Trump's first term and more than double the number of family separations that would be projected using government data.

The finding comes from a Brookings Institution study that estimates some 400,000 people have been booked into ICE jails since January. January of last year. The Justice Department announced Monday it'll create a $1.776 billion fund to make payments to Trump supporters who say they were wrongly investigated or prosecuted by previous administrations. The so-called anti-weaponization fund would be overseen by five commissioners, four of whom would be appointed by the Attorney General to serve at the pleasure. of the president. The announcement came as part of a settlement agreement between President Trump

and his own administration after Trump, his sons and their family business sued the IRS for over $10 billion over the leak of Trump's tax returns by an IRS worker. Following Monday's announcement, the Treasury Department's top lawyer resigned. Brian Morrissey leaves his post just seven months after his Senate confirmation. He did not respond to reporters' requests for comment. Democrats have accused Trump of creating a slush fund for his MAGA allies, including insurrectionists who joined the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol. On Monday, 93, Democratic lawmakers filed an amicus brief in federal courts seeking to block the fund. Virginia Congress member Don Beyer wrote, quote, he's just stealing your money.

There's no transparency. We won't know who gets paid or how much it's illegal and corrupt as hell. We're fighting it in court, Congressmember Byer said. The EPA proposed Monday to kill drinking water limits for four so-called forever chemicals set by the Biden administration in 2024. The EPA said it will keep limits on PFOA and PFOS, the two most widely studied PFAS compounds, but will allow some water utilities to extend their compliance deadline from 2029 to 2031. The Roebacks could delay or eliminate drinking water protections for up to 105 million people. PIFAs have been linked to cancer. thyroid disease, liver damage, decreased fertility, and immune system damage. In a statement,

Catherine O'Brien, senior attorney at Earth Justice said, quote, this move only underscores that the Trump administration's maha rhetoric, that's make America healthy again, is just that. Empty rhetoric, and it will leave children and families to bear the cost of continued drinking water contamination, unquote. Here in New York, Long Island Railroad Strike ended Monday night after the MTA and five unions reached a tentative agreement ending a three-day work stoppage that paralyzed the largest commuter rail system in the United States. Over the weekend, 3,500 unionized workers walked off the job for the first LIRR strike in over 30 years. The deal still needs to be ratified by members of the five unions if rejected the strike could resume. And New York City

mayors are on Mamdani announced Monday the city's first municipally owned grocery store will open in the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx next year. The 20,000 square foot store will be located inside the peninsula, an affordable housing and mixed use development. The plan is part of a broader $70 million initiative to open one city-owned store in each of the five boroughs under the proposal. The stores would pay no rent or property taxes, keeping overhead costs low. The plan still requires city council approval. This is Mayor, Mom Dani. Standing here this morning, I cannot help but think of the words of our 40th president, Ronald

Reagan. He famously said, the nine most terrifying words in the English language are I'm from the government and I'm here to help. It's a good quote, but I disagree. I think nine more terrifying words are actually, I worked all day and can't feed my family. We are going to use the power of government to lower prices and make it easier for New York. Yorkers to put food on the table. And those are some of the headlines.

This is Democracy Now, Democracy Now.org, The War and Peace Report. I'm Amy Goodman. In California, two teenage gunmen fatally shot three people on Monday at the Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest mosque in San Diego County. Among the dead was a security guard now identified as Amin Abdullah, a father of eight, who police say, played. a pivotal role in saving lives, particularly children's lives. The suspects, age 17 and 19, were found dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds in a car near the scene. Police are investigating

the attack as a hate crime. Law enforcement officials told CNN hate speech was scrawled on one of the weapons, a suicide note that contained writings about racial pride was also found, according to officials. CARE, the Council on American Islamic Relations, noted the attack comes as anti-Muslim bias complaints reach their highest level on record, with 8,683 complaints filed nationwide. This is Taha Hussain, the Imam and director of the Islamic Center of San Diego. My community is mourning. This is something that we have never expected to take place. But at the same time, the religious intolerance and the hate, unfortunately, that exist in our nation, is unprecedented. All of us we are responsible for spreading the culture of tolerance, the culture of love.

All of us, we are responsible from wherever position we have, as parents, as media people, as elected officials, as law enforcement. as religious leaders, all of us we can do something to protect our nation, to protect our society. And please, I have one request to the media. Stop sharing the picture of the victims. Let the families mourn, let them pray, as we do always at the Islamic Center of San Diego. It's a house of worship, it's not a battle,

field. Come on. People come to the mosque to pray, to socialize, to celebrate, to enjoy their time together. Muslims and non-Muslims alike, everyone have been always welcomed. Our doors are always welcomed. We never ask people. When they show up at the door of the Islamic Center, we never ask them, whether you are a Muslim or not, who are you? Because because everyone is welcome. So let's do our best to spread this culture of love and tolerance and sympathy for the sake of this nation, for the sake of the future generation. That was Taha Hussein, the Imam and director of the Islamic Center of San Diego,

attacked on Monday. Police said they'd begun a search for the two teenage gunmen two hours before the attack after the mother of one of the shooters called police. This is San Diego Police Chief Scott Wall. She believed her son was suicidal, and she began to share information that several of her weapons were missing, her vehicle was missing, in addition to her son. She also said that her son was with a companion.

They were dressed in camo, and that is not consistent with what we would typically see from somebody that is suicidal. That's the San Diego Police Chief. We're joined now by Linda Sarsour, Palestinian-American Muslim organizer, friend of the Imam at the Islamic Center of San Diego, author of We are not here to be bystanders and co-founder of Empower Action Fund. Linda, thanks so much for joining us again, but under these incredibly sad circumstances.

The guard has just been named, who is killed by the gunmen. The gunmen themselves apparently dead of self-inflicted wounds. Can you talk about what you heard yesterday in your reaction as it was unfolding? You were a friend of the Imam. I immediately saw a tweet on X that said that there was a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, and I immediately texted Imam Taha Hussein, who's an old friend of mine. And I said, are you okay? And he immediately called me back and said that we are in a...

lockdown right now. There's been an active shooting. At that moment, he had not known about all the fatalities, but they did know about Brother Amin Abdullah, who was the armed security guard of the mosque and a father of eight and a wonderful, incredible human being that I also had the honor and privilege of meeting myself. There are also two other adult males that were also killed in the shooting. One of them is Brother Mansour, also known as Abu al-Iz. He is an elder, a caretaker of the mosque, also was running the Islamic Bookstores. store at the mosque. And just the beloved kind of uncle in the community. Another one is Brother Nadeh. Brother Nade is a neighbor of the mosque, a congregant, someone who is heavily involved in the

mosque itself. It's just a very devastating experience. There was also over about 200 kids in a pre-k to third grade Islamic school that is a part of the Islamic Center of San Diego who are also on lockdown, hiding under... hiding under desks and closets. And if it wasn't for Brother I mean Abdullah and these brothers that came out to put their bodies on the line, we could have had many more fatalities than many of them could have been small children in this country. So even though the children are safe, thank God, they are forever going to live with this trauma of knowing that their mosque was attacked because they were Muslims. I was watching as parents wept also talking about how Amin had saved their children,

that the kids, the first thing they look forward to going to school in the morning is seeing him there. That's right. That's who he was, and this was his job. As a matter of fact, a few days before this horrific shooting, he had made a post on social media on Facebook and said something like, a lot of people. people look for fame, they look for financial stability, they look kind of for the worldly things. But for him, he just wanted to be a good Muslim and he wanted to meet his Lord as pure as he was when he was a baby. And that is his last message that people saw on social media.

Imam Taha, also the director of the Islamic Center, who was in the building when this happened. He was on the second floor is an incredible ally. He's someone who is very well known in the immigrant rights movement, in the San Diego Economic Justice Movement. He's at often and at many rallies. This is a mosque that has opened its doors to the community. They literally have open mosque day where anyone in the community can show up to the mosque and they are welcomed, they are welcomed with open arms. They have film screenings.

They do community events. They do festivals. This is the epitome of a mosque that shows our true values as Muslims in community and in solidarity. So it's just devastating. And no house of worship should have to ever experience this. You were with Imam Taha Hussein just a few weeks ago? Imam Taha is a national leader. He is part of many of the movement work that I do.

He's someone that we go to as an Islamic scholar to help guide us through the social justice and work that we do. And we were in Dearborn just a few weeks ago. He was there as a mentor to many Muslim organizers in this country. And he's someone that I've spoken on many panels with. We do the Muslim Student Association Conference in California, just someone who's always at the right place at the right time and very encouraging and of women leadership in our community, of youth leadership in our community. And so it's just devastating to see that his mosque was targeted as someone who has poured so much into our community and movements. Can you talk about what you understand the mom of one of the alleged shooters? Kane Clark was, I believe, 17.

He was with Caleb Vasquez. These two now dead teenagers have been identified. How the mom got in touch with the police hours before, I think she had a cache of weapons, but she saw her guns gone and her car gone, and her kid was dressed in camo with the ammo. And as the mayor, as the police chiefs, said, even though he had left a suicide note, that is highly suspect when they're putting

on Camo, obviously. I mean, we can't deny, Amy, that there's been increased political rhetoric against Muslims in this country and the ways in which Muslims are treated, even after this horrific shooting, right-wing MAGA accounts, some of them verified, some of them high-profile, have begun conspiracy theories or have actually blamed the mosque itself for their own shooting that happened there. It is absolutely horrific to see the ways in which elected officials anywhere from Randy Fine to the members of Congress who have started this, what they call the Sharia Free Caucus. People are not held accountable for their anti-Muslim hate.

We are anti-Muslim hate is one of the few types of bigotry in this country that is acceptable. You don't lose your job. There's no consequences for it. And here comes a 17-year-old who is probably brought into all this propaganda. He's wrote a suicide note. The officials are saying that there was hate rhetoric, scrolled on the weapons, which also tells me how long were your guns missing? How long did it take him to scroll, you know, hateful, you know, rhetoric on guns? Also, how is the mother storing her guns? You know, did you just leave them around? Was there no key?

Was there no way for this to be protected so that your child does not go out and kill innocent people at a mosque? So there's something very, you know, strange that's happening here. But I will say this about the 17-year-old and also, 19 year old. I'm sad, Amy, for them. I really am sad. They're too young for this type of hate and the fact that it drove them to the point where they went to a mosque and they shot innocent people and could have shocked children. I mean, the fact that there's an Islamic school, if it wasn't for Brother Amin and the brothers that interfered, we literally could have had dozens of children who would have been literally shot and killed. And the thing is, we've seen this before. We saw it. We saw it in

Sandy Hook. We saw it in Yuvaldi. And so for me, I'm just like it's an issue around let's end this anti-Muslim hate. Let's make sure that there are consequences for people who propagate this hate, for media outlets who propagate this hate. And also, let's get some sensible gun reform. How did this mother get the, where they registered guns? How was she storing them at home? How did your son wear, where did your son get cameo from? Like wearing, I mean, the whole thing just is just, it just seems like, it just doesn't make sense. During a televised news conference on Monday, a woman disrupted the news. conference, just as San Diego

Mayor Todd Gloria was beginning to speak. She accused him of emboldening what she called Zionist propaganda. Thank you. Direct results. Your leadership, your leadership

are Muslim brothers and sisters have been talking to you. You have the... It's bold in Christ. ...Cold in Zionist propaganda. So after that, the mayor began speaking. But she referred to him.

as Todd, which was his first name. Linda Sarcer, I don't know if you could make out what she was saying, but if you could respond. She was saying basically to him that this is, that you're part of the problem, that this is because you've emboldened this hateful rhetoric, like she was

basically holding him accountable. Mayor Todd, in the course of genocide, has condemned Palestinian organizers. He condemned Palestinian students. He would never show up to any events led by Palestinian-American or Muslims that were related to the genocide in Gaza.

And he continued to vilify folks that organized around the genocide. And he is someone who has aligned himself with right-wing Zionists and others. So I think, again, who you ally with as a leader of a city, right, like San Diego, tells me where you stand. If you're going to be willing to stand with people who are condemning, a vilifying, dehumanizing people who are standing up for justice for the Palestinian people, then you're part of the larger problem that we have here, which is reaffirming anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab,

hey, you know this, Amy, in this country. People don't know the difference between a Muslim, Arab, or a Palestinian. And that's the problem here. And so all these things are conflated. In the past, this mosque has been targeted during genocide by right-wing media. There was a New York Post article that just literally got published yesterday after horrific shooting that basically said the shooting that happened at an Islamic center with a history of controversy.

Like, instead of reporting the news, they're telling us that there's a controversial mosque here. What does that have to do with what is happening to these people? The far right political activist Trump ally, Lara Lumer, posted a message on Exxon Monday reading. The mosque that was, quote, unquote, supposedly shot up today. Just remember the people who attend this mosque want us all to be killed. We will be told they are such amazing people. I'm not advocating for violence. I condemn violence.

I'm showing you how evil this mosque is and always has been. It should be raided by ICE and the FBI, she tweeted. In a follow-up tweet, Lara Lumer called for the DHS to, quote, deport every Muslim in America back to the Middle East, unquote. Your response, Linda. And this is exactly what's across the entire internet. That's it. This is the conspiracy theory is blaming us for the tragedy. and horrific shooting that has happened at this mosque. And this is the kind of rhetoric that's acceptable.

No one else, Amy, would be able to say something like Laura Lumer about any other religious community. Again, for us, it's acceptable. Her posts won't get taken down. There will be no consequences for a Laura Lumer. But here we have three adult men, beloved in their community in an incredible mosque where their neighbors love them. There are people that have come out and spoken about them, pastors, rabbis, those that have visited this mosque and know that this mosque is a community. community center. It's a beloved place. I've been there so many times, Amy. It's so incredible. It's one of the most diverse mosques in all of America from the African continent, from South Asia, from the Arab world, from converts in the United States of America, to Latino Muslims. They have

Spanish-speaking programs. I mean, it's just an incredibly beautiful place. They welcome the formerly incarcerated. This is the kind of people that they are. Imam Taha is one of the most incredible leaders we have in this country, and it's just despicable that we allow this kind of rhetoric, especially after horrific shooting. Linda Sarsore, Palestinian-American, Muslim organizer, author of We Are Not Here to Be Bystanders. She's also co-founder of Empower Action Fund. Coming up, a new documentary on E. Jean Carroll,

she successfully sued Donald Trump twice in federal court. He was found civilly liable for sexual abuse and defamation. We'll speak with the director, Ivy Mirapole. Stay with us. Women, if you're going to do their women, if you're going to dozee of women, women of the world, in our democracy now studio. This is Democracy Now, Democracy Now.org. I'm Amy Goodman. will the Supreme Court let two verdicts against President Trump stand for the sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll? In 2019, E. Jean Carroll published her memoir, What Do We Need Men for?

In which she described an encounter in the 1990s when President Trump, she said, sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman. At the time, she was a well-known advice columnist and host of her own TV show. When President Trump denied the account, E. Jean Carroll sued him and won. A unanimous New York jury found Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation and awarded E. Jean Carroll $5 million in damages. President Trump then denied knowing Carol and called her a whack job on CNN. E. Jean Carroll then sued him again for defamation. A second jury, also unanimous, awarded her $83.3 million, but she has yet to see a penny. Federal courts upheld both verdicts, but now President Trump's attorneys are asking the Supreme Court to overturn them, asserting the president has absolute

immunity for comments he makes as president. The Department of Justice, has submitted a filing to the Supreme Court backing the president's argument. Trump's attorneys have also sought to invoke a federal statute to swap the president out as defendant and have the U.S. government take his place, which would essentially nullify the verdicts as the federal government can't be sued for defamation. The verdict is on pause until the Supreme Court either reviews the two cases or decides to pass. The second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals conditioned the stay on. President Trump posting a bond of nearly $100 million.

Well, a new documentary goes through all of this and more. It's called Ask E. Jean Carroll. The film is directed and produced by the award-winning filmmaker Ivy Miracle. Her past films include air to an execution, a documentary about her grandparents, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed at Sing Sing in the 1950s. In a moment, we'll be joined by Ivy Mirapole, but first, this is the trailer for Ask E. Jean. There's no such thing as destiny, dear listener. We ourselves make our lives.

All the time I'm writing, writing, writing, and then I write this little quiz and Esquire Bison. I got one taste of New York, and I thought, wow, I was as happy a being as ever a year. existed. All my dreams were about becoming an advice columnist. And then Roger Ailes gave me my own TV show. You don't really care who comments on anything because you comment on everything. If you were concerned about being dragged through the mud, why would you choose to sue Donald Trump? Because he called me a liar and I couldn't let it stand. I called you right after the attack. I was very disappointed that you wouldn't report him. They never would have believed me.

You were more famous than he was. Here comes this huge attorney, Robbie Kaplan. She laid out the case. If women could see what kind of questions, their fellow woman is asked when she brings charges against a powerful man. Were you wearing underwear? Did you wear a bra? Are you taking out of medications of drugs? Have you ever had acting classes?

No. There was some darkness coming in. We were prepping for the second trial, and Robbie said the man you have not seen in 30 years is going to be in that courtroom. Eugen Carroll had the guts to face him down twice. I am thinking of getting a toaster. The trailer for the new documentary, Ask E Gene, out this weekend at New York's IFC Center. And we'll be coming out in Los Angeles as well. We're joined now by the award-winning filmmaker, Ivy, Mirapole, from Cold Spring, New York.

Ivy, thanks so much for joining us. It might surprise people that these, I was going to say this case, but these cases continue, and they are now sitting at the Supreme Court. Explain these verdicts and the amount of money that E. Jean could see nearly 90 million. dollars from President Trump? Well, hi, Amy. Thanks for having me. So, Eugen, in the first case, she was awarded $5 million. Then she was awarded the massive amount of 83.5.

And that was specifically had to do with the amount of defamation that continued to, you know, rain down on her from President Trump, but also that activated so many of his followers to really threaten her, you know, violently. So she, so the 83 million was the jury saying, you know, it has to be a very large number to make it stop. Both of those cases are now at the doors of the Supreme Court. I honestly can't speculate on what's going to happen there. But I can say that they have, it's there. I think at this point, maybe there's been about 10 or 11 weeks, maybe more, where they could have decided at least to hear or deny cert to the first case, and they just keep kind of bumping it down the road. And the first case, the $5 million, explain exactly what that was about.

Well, so the $5 million had to do with the sexual assault and defamation. So what E. Jean was able to do is when the Adult Survivors Act was passed in New York, it allowed for a one-year window for victims of sexual assault rape to file lawsuits. From any time in their lives, they had that year window. And E. Jean was the first one to file that case. She had already filed a defamatory lawsuit. against Donald Trump because he, in his first term, had defamed her from the White House lawn and was attacking her regularly. So that had been filed. But then when the Adult Survivors Act gave her the opportunity to bring the case of sexual

assault, she did so. So that's the first case. I want to play a clip from the film, which shows the start of E. Jean Carroll's deposition in which she is questioned by President Trump's personal attorney, Elena Haba. Raise your right hand, please. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so I'm I do. Thank you. Good morning, Ms. Farrell, thank you for being there.

How do you do? I'm okay. My name is Alina Haba. I'm sure you know that. I represent the former President Donald Trump. Have you ever been deposed? Never. Okay.

So let's go over some ground rules. First of all, you're under oath. So that means you must testify truthfully and honestly and accurately to the best of your ability. Can you ready to start? Is that a yes? That's a yes. Gidey up. If women could see what kind of questions their fellow woman is asked when she brings charges of rape against a powerful man,

it would stop a racehorse. It is really quite stunning. Okay. I am going to switch into the complaint. Do you remember what the temperature was outside? Yes. Clear and cool, lish. So that was a clip from the deposition.

That's an Ivy Mirapult's film, Askey, Jean. And she was being questioned by Alina Haba, President Trump's attorney. She just stepped down as the top federal prosecutor, New Jersey, following an appeals court ruling that found she was unlawfully serving in that role. Just a little background on Alina Haba. But E. Jean Carroll, we heard the deposition and then a clip of an interview with her talking about what women face when they make accusations about sexual abuse today, Ivy. Yeah. So, excuse me. So I just want to first say that this is an incredible opportunity for audiences to see what really goes on when a woman brings a case like this, especially against a powerful man, but any man, really.

That if you make it all the way to being deposed or sitting in the courtroom, you are going to be subjected to this kind of questioning. And when you watch the whole film, you see that it's relentless and it goes on. So these depositions were private. They were not entered into evidence, so they never were made public. And attorney Robbie Kaplan and E. Jean gave them to me an incredible gift for this film and for the world to see this and to experience what E. Jean experienced. But the other part is, and I love, you know, the start of it because it just captures E. Jean Who she is so beautifully because right at the top, you see she takes it very seriously that she's under oath. And then she doesn't realize that she has to speak the word yes when Alina Haba asked her the last question.

And she said, are you ready? And E. Jean just nods. And then when Alina Haba presses her, she says, yes, giddy up. That's like, I mean, I love it. It's like the mantra for E. Jean's life and for what E. Jean took to this case. I want to play a scene from your film, Ask E. Jean, in which E. Jean Carroll talks with writer Lisa Burnback, the first person she spoke to about Donald Trump sexually assaulting her back in 1996. I called you right after the attack. We were not that close of friends. I met you. You didn't like me that much, right? No, I adore you. See, that was the thing.

I thought you were the funniest writer I know. And if I tell you what happened, you will laugh. And then I will feel great. Yeah. And then we'll both be happen. Right. I think, oh, this is going to be fun. Right.

And you tell me this story, and I said, e, what happened to you was horrible. And you got upset that I wasn't laughing. Yeah. And if you thought it was funny, If I called you... It would take the sting out. That it hadn't happened. It was just a funny thing.

And instead, I was shocked and said, wow, what are we going to do? Please. Cheers. Thank you. You know, I was very disappointed that you wouldn't report him. But Lisa, they never would have believed me. I would have lost my... I would have been fired.

I didn't have money to get an attorney. Everything I'd work for would be... dissipated? You said, don't ever speak of this again. Don't ever tell anyone this story, as long as you live, do I have your word? And you did. And that was that. That's writer Lisa Burnback, the first person E. Jean Carroll spoke to about being sexually assaulted in the department store dressing room. Ivy Maripold, talk about the significance of what it means when a person has told another person contemporaneously. Mm-hmm.

Yeah, so Lisa is what's called an outcry witness, which just means that she's the person that E. Jean called, told right after the attack. Carol Martin is E. Jean's other outcry witness. Those two women were told within, a day or two after Trump assaulted E. Jean at Bergdorf-Germann's. And what's important about that is that now, then 25 years later,

when Eugene decided to come forward with this story, she went to Carol and Lisa and, you know, asked that they please come forward now and lose their anonymity, which was not an easy choice to make for either of them.

And they both did, and they both stood by E. Jean. And it's a beautiful story of female friendship across the years and then coming together to fight this common battle. I want to go to one last clip, and that is during his deposition in 2023, Trump was shown a picture of himself, E. Jean Carroll, her former husband, the news anchor, John Johnson, and Trump's then-wife, Ivana. He confused E. Jean Carroll. with his ex-wife Marla Maples. You're saying Marla's in this photo?

That's Marla, yeah. That's my wife. Which woman are you pointing to? No. Here. The person you just pointed to was E.C. Who is that? Who is this?

Point, your wife. And the person of the woman on the right is your then-wife? I don't know. This was the picture. I assume that's John Johnson. Is that Carol? Because it's very blurry. So this is an amazing.

moment, right? This is Donald Trump, who said he'd never met this woman, who she was not his type. And of course, then E. Jean Carroll writes a book, he's not my type. And he is confusing E. Gene Carroll with his ex-wife, Marla Maples. Yes. Now, you know, Amy, this was reported at the time, but I don't think people, myself included, can fully appreciate or understand. what was happening here until we were able to just really play it out in the in the film. Yeah, it's as you said, Trump is presented with this photo that shows, you know, him meeting E Gene or saying hello to E Gene in a receiving line. And, and he gets confused.

He has asked to identify everyone in the picture. And his wife, Ivana Trump, is there. and with him, but he looks at E. Jean, and he says, that's Marla. That's Marla, my wife. Now, Robbie Kaplan, so quick, she follows up with this unbelievable bombshell of a moment and says, would you say that all three of your wives were your type are your type? And he says, oh, yeah, yeah, sure. Doesn't he, you know, it's just, and we have that in the film, too. So I, you know, I, it is, it is such an important. turning point in the case. And it just shows, you know, how all of his bluster about, you know, she's not my type and all of this is just more lies. Ivy Mirapolis, we wrap up. Can you talk about the release of this film, the theatrical release this weekend? It's opening at IFC Center here in New York.

Going on to Los Angeles. Have you had difficulty distributing this film? Yes, yes. It has been, as you can imagine, it is quite a challenge. You know, there is, it is just the reality in our country right now that this vengeful president and he's so powerful right now back in office that it, you know, it has a chilling effect. So we have had a very hard time. We know that audiences want to see this film. We've had seen the reality. in the film festivals we've been privileged to be part of. So it took a while to get to get here, but we have partnered with a Brahma Rama, an incredible distributor, and we are pushing the film out all over the country,

and we're really excited because it's a New York City story, and we, you know, just the IFC Center Memorial Day weekend, big opening, we'll be there all week, and, yeah, I'm going to be joined by some incredible, women to do some Q&As. Roxanne Gay will be with me. I have Amber Tamblin. So I, you know, I feel the momentum starting. It feels like the exact right moment for this film. Ivy Mirapal, director and producer of the award-winning documentary Ask E. Jean. Her past films include air to an execution about the execution of her grandparents, Julius Sennethel Rosenberg,

executed in 1953. She will be at Q&As this weekend at the IFC Center here in New York. Coming up, state officials in Minneapolis have charged a nice agent for shooting a Venezuelan immigrant, then falsely reporting what happened back in 20 seconds. And during the Rosa no Bastava that was

that was little I said me said I adorabah me said that was

that was a listero and I did see my mirada and during Musician Carlolata performing in our Democracy Now studio. This is Democracy Now, Democracy Now.org. I'm Amy Goodman.

In Minnesota, prosecutors have filed criminal charges against a ICE officer who allegedly shot a Venezuelan immigrant in North Minneapolis during an immigration raid in January, then lied about what happened. On Monday, the Hennepin County attorney, Mary Moriarty, announced federal agent Christian Castro will face four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. Four counts of assault are a result of Mr. Castro shooting through the front door of a residence with the intent to cause fear of immediate bodily harm or death to the four adults who are just inside the door. These charges have activated a nationwide warrant for his arrest. Venezuelan immigrant Julio Sossela suffered a leg wound when Castro allegedly shot him through the door.

The Trump administration initially claimed that Castro fired. in self-defense after accusing Sosa Seles and another man of beating an officer with a broom handle and a snow shovel. A federal judge later dismissed those charges after video evidence clearly contradicted it. This comes as Hennepin County prosecutors continue to investigate the killings of Ney-Good and Alex Preti by federal agents during the Trump administration's violent immigration enforcement campaign known as Operation Metro Surge. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison also addressed reporters Monday. There's a long line of cases where state authorities have had to hold federal agents accountable for breaking state law. I think the first one is called Enra Nagel, and they flow from there.

And so, as was said earlier, there's no such thing as absolute immunity. For more, we're joined in our New York studio by Emilio Gonzalez-Avalos. is Executive Director of Unidos, Minnesota, a grassroots organization that builds power with Minnesota's working families to advance social, racial, and economic justice. She's here in New York. She just received the Puffin Prize for Creative Citizenship on behalf of her group. Hands Off, NYC, also was a recipient this year. Amelia, congratulations on the award. As you're here, these charges are announced. Talk about the significance of them. It is really important to demonstrate that there are opportunities to continue to embody a functioning

democracy when the crimes of people are meeting consequences, and that is what the institution of the Hennepin County Attorney's Office is trying to attempt here after several months of the federal government obstructing investigation of both the murders of René Good, Alex Purdy, and also the other crimes that this officers committing during Operation Metro Search and Operation Paris. So talk about what it means to have state officials and what this video evidence was so that people understand. It's the state of Minnesota that is going after the ICE officer. But in the case of Renee Good and Alex Preti, who were killed as they bore witness, to what was happening on the ground, Alex Preti, the VA nurse, the mom, Renee Good.

They're having trouble the state officials, getting cooperation from the federal government who's taken the evidence. Correct. Since the beginning, they deployed false narratives, calling both René Good and Alex Priti criminals and injuries, trying to polarize their identities for the public narrative that could benefit the federal government. and they were also trying to hide the overreach and the violence, the virtual in which federal agents were behaving on the ground, the amount of erosion of people's constitutional rights, the violations of people's constitutional rights also during detention and through the detention and the transportation of immigrants into southern states for processing. And so when we see that Minnesota was a place where civil society was prepared to record and bear witness,

and they brought all of these activities and recordings to the light. They shared in the social media, they shared with reporters, they shared with mainstream media. And so we had the evidence, people, regular people had the evidence that the narrative that the federal government was putting out there was not only false, but also quite, opposite to the type of misguiding that they were trying to misguide the regular Americans into believing that the Minnesotans were unruly and radical. And so now the county prosecutor has evidence from regular people, a neighbor that recorded that actually nobody used to shovel, that there was no use of force but a Venezuelan immigrant, that in fact there was an agent that shot through the door

when there was a baby inside the home, several children inside the home, trying to figure out how to answer and ask if there was a warrant, if there was a judicial warrant, how to respond to the authorities. All that was recorded by neighbors. There were people trying to bear witness.

They were eyed witnesses on the ground, trying to bring these cases to light. And it was the people that equipped the county prosecutor to move the institution, to embody the constitutional law and the body of the institution of Hennepin County to actually prosecute the wrongdoing of these officers. And that is what democracy looks like. It looks like separation of powers

and getting material consequences of going to doing. Well, Emilio Gonzalez-Avalos, thank you for being with us, Executive Director of Unidos, Minnesota, grassroots group that builds power with Minnesota working families to advance social, racial, and economic justice. We'll do an interview in Spanish and post online at DemocracyNow.org. That does it for our show. I'll be tonight at the IFC Center after the 6 o'clock screening of the film about Democracy Now.

Steal the story, please. I'll be there with the director, TLS, and with V, formerly known as Eve Ensler. Tomorrow I'll also be there for a Q&A after the 6 o'clock screening at IFC Center with our own Democracy Now. co-host Nermine Sheikh and the director, TLS. And then to Boulder and Denver, check our website.