A judge has denied former President Donald Trump's attempt to block the release of the Access Hollywood tape from being used in a defamation lawsuit against him. Summer Zervos, a former contestant on Trump's reality show "The Apprentice," is suing Trump for defamation after he called her and other women who accused him of sexual misconduct "liars." Zervos claims that Trump defamed her when he said she fabricated her accusations for fame and financial gain.
In the Access Hollywood tape, which was recorded in 2005 but surfaced during the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump can be heard making vulgar comments about women. Trump's legal team argued that the tape was not relevant to the defamation lawsuit and would be unfairly prejudicial to him if shown to a jury. However, the judge disagreed, stating that the tape is "not a low blow but rather probative of both issues" and that it can be used as evidence in the trial.
This decision is a setback for Trump, who has faced numerous allegations of sexual misconduct and has been accused of using his power and wealth to silence his accusers. The Access Hollywood tape has been a major point of controversy throughout Trump's presidency and has been cited as evidence of his misogyny and lack of respect for women. The release of the tape was a major blow to his 2016 campaign and is still seen as a stain on his legacy. The decision to allow the tape to be used in the Zervos case is likely to fuel further speculation and criticism of Trump's character and behavior.