President Trump’s lawyers released a 15-second video on Wednesday evening that seemed to refute claims by former campaign aide Alva Johnson that Trump had forcibly kissed her in 2016 ahead of a campaign rally.
Johnson, 43, filed a complaint in February of this year that described the encounter with Trump as a forcible kiss that left her traumatized. She further complained that her pay on the campaign was lower because of her race.
The video, which seems to show the entire interaction in question, shows a brief kiss on the cheek by Trump. Johnson allegedly said to Trump after the interaction, “We’re going to get you in the White House; I’ll see you in February.”
Brian Hayes, a campaign volunteer, said in a legal declaration that he was present and recorded the video on his mobile phone.
Attorney for Trump, Charles Harder, said in a court filing that 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 further said in the Wednesday filing, “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—who was appreciative that she had just spent eight months away from her family on the campaign trail for his campaign.”
Attorney’s for Alva Johnson said they did not see the video as devastating to their client’s case, however. Lawyer Hassan Zavareei said, “We are gratified and pleased that we finally have proof what Ms. Johnson has been alleging in this lawsuit … It is basically exactly what Ms. Johnson has been saying.”
