Trump hires Sullivan & Cromwell in E. Jean Carroll Supreme Court appeal

Key Points:

• Wall Street law firm Sullivan & Cromwell has reversed its earlier stance and joined President Donald Trump's effort to have the $83.3 million defamation verdict won by E. Jean Carroll overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
• The firm's involvement has drawn criticism from legal professionals, including attorney George Conway, who condemned the firm for representing Trump in the case involving serious allegations.
• Trump and the Justice Department argue that the case falls under the Westfall Act, protecting presidents from personal liability for official conduct, and claim the defamation damages are excessive and unprecedented.
• The defamation verdict stems from Carroll's accusations that Trump sexually assaulted her in the 1990s and later defamed her by denying the claims; Trump denies all wrongdoing.
• The $83.3 million payout has been paused pending Supreme Court review, while Sullivan & Cromwell's recent involvement followed pressure from Trump's adviser Boris Epshteyn and coincides with one of the firm's partners becoming U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.