Ivy Meeropol, director of the documentary Ask E. Jean, is pushing back after reports that the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll. Meeropol called the reported probe “unbelievable, yet not surprising,” saying it reflects what she sees as Donald Trump’s pattern of retaliation against people who have challenged him. The reports from The New York Times and CNN said federal prosecutors were examining whether Carroll committed perjury when she testified that she was unaware of anyone financially supporting her lawsuits against Trump. Those lawsuits stem from Carroll’s long-standing allegations that Trump sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store dressing room in the mid-1990s. It was later revealed that billionaire Reid Hoffman, cofounder of LinkedIn and a prominent Trump critic, had helped cover some of her legal expenses.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Northern Illinois, which is overseeing the matter, has said Carroll is not the target of any investigation, although the reports suggested that could change. Meeropol told Deadline she was initially stunned by the news, but said it fit what she described as Trump’s “pure vindictiveness.”
Her comments came as she was in Los Angeles for the theatrical opening of Ask E. Jean at Landmark’s NuArt Theatre. In New York, the film is now in its second week at IFC Center after strong audience turnout and a holdover extension. Meeropol said the response has been especially encouraging, with packed houses and even well-attended matinees.
The documentary, which premiered at Telluride last year, traces Carroll’s career as a celebrated advice columnist and media personality, including her decades-long “Ask E. Jean” column for Elle and a show on NBC’s former cable network America’s Talking. It also examines how Carroll’s 2019 essay in New York magazine, inspired by the #MeToo movement, brought renewed attention to her allegations against Trump. Trump denied the claims and called Carroll a liar, prompting her to sue him for defamation. After New York State changed its law to allow adult survivors of sexual assault to file civil claims beyond the statute of limitations, Carroll filed a second lawsuit accusing him of battery and defamation. She ultimately won judgments totaling nearly $90 million.
Meeropol said the court cases have become part of a larger struggle, noting that Trump has not paid any damages. She suggested the Supreme Court may ultimately decide the outcome of the legal battles. The reported Justice Department probe, she said, adds another chapter to the conflict. Meeropol also rejected the idea that Carroll is anything but truthful, saying the film shows “the truth” and that Trump’s anger stems from his defeat in court.
She added that the timing of the reports, coming soon after the film’s New York release and her recent op-ed in The New York Times, was striking. Ask E. Jean is scheduled to play in more than 40 theaters over the next month, with distribution handled by Abramorama and promotional support from Theorem Media and its partner network.
