Alva Johnson, a former campaign staffer said that Trump violated social norms when he grabbed her by the shoulders and forcefully kissed her. Trump lawyers released the footage in question that shows Trump didn’t even make contact with Ms. Johnson’s face.
“The Video shows that Plaintiff’s allegations in the Complaint that Mr. Trump ‘forcibly’ kissed her, and kissed her ‘on the mouth,’ are entirely false,” Harder wrote in a court filing. “In watching the Video, the only conclusion a reasonable person could reach is that the exchange was an innocent moment between a dedicated campaign staffer and the candidate for whom she was working.”
Harder said the clip is “undeniable evidence that [Johnson’s] battery claim is unfounded and frivolous by virtue.”
“The only conclusion a reasonable person could reach is that the exchange was an innocent moment between a dedicated campaign staffer and the candidate for whom she was working,” Harder said, adding that the video “proves that Plaintiff has no legitimate claim for battery. It also proves that Plaintiff and her counsel have lied repeatedly to this Court.”
Harder also notes that Johnson kisses “the air next to his face.”
Johnson’s lawyer, meanwhile, said the video proves their case.
“We are gratified and pleased that we finally have proof what Ms. Johnson has been alleging in this lawsuit,” said Hassan Zavareei, an attorney for Johnson. “It is basically exactly what Ms. Johnson has been saying.”
“She said Trump was holding her by the hands. In fact, he grabbed her by the shoulders. … Other than that, it’s basically identical to what she alleged,” Zavareei said, according to Politico.
“I don’t regard it as innocuous. … Does it look dramatic? No. That does not mean it wasn’t a serious battery. It’s a battery because she didn’t want it to happen. It’s not an appropriate thing to do to another person,” he said.
Johnson was previously registered as a Democrat, according to The Washington Post, and she told the paper she voted twice for Barack Obama before supporting Trump’s campaign.
