New York Times Fires Back at Donald Trump: We'll See You in Court

The New York Times has fired back a day after Donald Trump demanded an apology and retraction over an article that the paper published, reporting the claims of two women who say that Trump groped them without their consent.

On Thursday, the Times published a letter that its attorney David E. McCraw wrote to counsel for the GOP presidential nominee, saying, “We welcome the opportunity to have a court set him straight.” The letter to Trump attorney Marc E. Kasowitz said that the “essence of a libel claim, of course, is the protection of one’s reputation,” and it added that Trump’s own words and actions have created the reputation of someone who brags about sexually harassing women.

In addition, McCraw wrote that the “larger and more important point” is that the “women quoted in the story spoke out on an issue of national importance” and that the Times’ reporters “diligently worked to confirm the women’s accounts.”

Also Read: Trump Campaign Demands NY Times Retracts Story In Which 2 Women Claim He Groped Them

On Wednesday, the Times published a story that detailed the accounts of two women — Jessica Leeds of New York and Rachel Crooks of Ohio — who say that Trump groped and “inappropriately touched” them.

Kasowitz then sent a letter to the Times’ executive editor, Dean Baquet, calling the article “libelous,” demanding that the Times apologize and retract the article and threatening legal action if it does not do so. Trump himself also mentioned a lawsuit against the paper during a campaign rally on Thursday.

McCraw’s letter on behalf of the Times also said that Trump has “bragged about intruding on beauty pageant contestants” and allowed a radio host to call his daughter a “piece of ass.”

Also Read: 2 Women Accuse Donald Trump of Groping Them: 'It Was an Assault'

The letter stated, “Noting in our article has had the slightest effect on the reputation that Mr. Trump, through his own words and actions, has already created for himself.”

11 Women Who Accuse Donald Trump of Sleaziness - or Much Worse (Photos)

Several women have accused Donald Trump of lewd behavior since the Washington Post reported that he bragged to Billy Bush on a hot mic in 2005 that he kisses and gropes women. Trump has called the comments "locker room talk" and denied assaulting women.
Getty Images
1997 Miss Utah Temple Taggart told NBC News that Trump kissed her on the lips upon their first meeting. Trump denies it.

Also Read: How Many Times Did Donald Trump Sniffle During Second Debate?
NBC
Former Miss Vermont Teen USA Mariah Billado told BuzzFeed that Trump walked in on her changing. “I remember putting on my dress really quick because I was like, ‘Oh my god, there’s a man in here,'” she said. Trump bragged to Howard Stern that as a pageant owner, he can "sort of get away" with walking in on women: "You know, I'm inspecting because I want to make sure that everything is good."

Also Read: Former Miss Teen USA Contestants Say Donald Trump Walked in on Them Changing
ABC
Jill Harth sued Trump in 1997, alleging sexual harassment. The suit says that while negotiating a business deal, Trump told Harth’s boyfriend, “You know, there’s going to be a problem … I’m very attracted to your girlfriend.”

Harth withdrew her suit as part of a settlement, according to the New York Times.

Also Read: 2 Women Accuse Donald Trump of Groping Them: ‘It Was an Assault’
Inside Edition
Former Miss Arizona Tasha Dixon told CBS2 Los Angeles that Trump would go backstage at the Miss USA pageant while the contestants were changing clothes.

“He just came strolling right in,” Dixon said. “There was no second to put a robe on or any sort of clothing or anything. Some girls were topless. Other girls were naked.”

Also Read: Former Miss Arizona Says Donald Trump Walked in on ‘Naked’ Pageant Contestants
ABC
In the taped conversation with Billy Bush, Trump talked about how he "moved on" the married Nancy O’Dell "very heavily," and admitted that he tried to "f--- her." O'Dell responded: "No female, no person, should be the subject of such crass comments."

Also Read: Billy Bush Hires Crisis Communications Firm Goldin Solutions in Wake of Trump Video Scandal
Inside Edition
On the tape, Billy Bush encourages Arianna Zucker to embrace Trump after Trump has told Bush that he might start kissing her -- unbeknownst to Zucker. When the tape was released, she said she wasn't especially surprised -- "not with that type of personality."

Also Read: Billy Bush Ripped by Hollywood PR Veterans as a ‘Rude and Lewd’ Jerk
NBC
Jessica Leeds told the New York Times that Trump groped her on a plane more than 30 years ago. “He was like an octopus,” Leeds, now 74, told the paper. “His hands were everywhere."

Also Read: Trump Campaign Demands NY Times Retracts Story In Which 2 Women Claim He Groped Them
ABC
Kristin Anderson told the The Washington Post that she was sitting on a couch with friends at a New York City nightclub in the early ’90s when she suddenly felt someone’s hand reaching up her skirt and touching her through her underwear. After shoving the hand away, she fled the couch and turned to take her first good look at the man who had touched her: It was Trump.

Also Read: Another Woman Claims Donald Trump Groped Her (Video)
Rachel Crooks, 33, said she was working as a receptionist at a company housed in Trump Tower in 2005 when she met Trump -- who allegedly shook her hand, would not let go, and “kissed me directly on the mouth.”

Also Read: 2 Women Accuse Donald Trump of Groping Them: ‘It Was an Assault’
Getty Images
The Trump campaign is demanding that the New York Times retract its story detailing the allegations from Leeds and Crooks.

Also Read: Trump Campaign Demands NY Times Retracts Story In Which 2 Women Claim He Groped Them
Getty
People Magazine reporter Natasha Stoynoff says Donald Trump physically attacked her around the time of his comments to Billy Bush in 2005, and that he forced himself on her in the same way he described in that conversation. His campaign denies it ever happened.

Also Read: Reporter Says Donald Trump ‘Physically Attacked’ Her Around Time of Billy Bush Interview
Getty Images
Former “Apprentice” contestant Summer Zervos claimed Trump kissed her against her will and came on to her. Zervos recounted a an alleged encounter with Trump at the Beverly Hills Hotel, during which she said Trump kissed her “very aggressively,” placed his hand on her breast and thrust his genitals.

Also Read: Top 21 Cable News Shows, Ranked: What are the Most Popular CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Programs? (Photos)
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Allegations range from kissing strangers to walking in on naked pageant contestants

Several women have accused Donald Trump of lewd behavior since the Washington Post reported that he bragged to Billy Bush on a hot mic in 2005 that he kisses and gropes women. Trump has called the comments "locker room talk" and denied assaulting women.

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11 Women Who Accuse Donald Trump of Sleaziness - or Much Worse (Photos)

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