How Trump and Nunes Use Defamation Lawsuits To Silence Their Critics
Public officials using libel suits as a weapon against the press is nothing new. In the time of Times v. Sullivan, southern officials had brought nearly $300 million in libel actions against the press. For reference, Nunes alone has brought just over $900 million in defamation claims in a twelve-month period.
Judge Dismisses OAN’s $10 Million Libel Suit Against MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow
"Maddow had inserted her own colorful commentary into and throughout the segment, laughing, expressing her dismay (i.e., saying 'I mean, what?') and calling the segment a 'sparkly story' and one we must 'take in stride,” Bashant wrote. Adding, "for her to exaggerate the facts and call OAN Russian propaganda was consistent with her tone up to that point, and the Court finds a reasonable viewer would not take the statement as factual given this context.”
Dental Health Company Files $2.8 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against NBC
SmileDirectClub, a company that sells teeth straightening kits directly to consumers, has sued NBC News and reporter Vicky Nguyen over a story that suggested the product may cause oral health problems.
Fox News Host Sean Hannity Threatens to Sue NY Times For Libel
On April 28th, Sean Hannity, a Fox News host, threatened to sue The New York Times over a column that linked a Brooklyn bar owner’s death from coronavirus to Hannity’s comments that downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic.
Texas Appeals Court Rejects Alex Jones’ Motion to Dismiss Heslin Defamation Suit
The judge has ordered Jones to pay Heslin $22,250 in attorney fees, making the total amount Jones now owes Neil Heslin just under $150,000.
Director Ava DuVernay and Netflix Sued for Defamation
On March 18th, Linda Fairstein, the former head of Manhattan District Attorney’s Sex Crime unit, sued Netflix director Ava DuVernay, and co-writer and producer Attica Locke for defamation. The lawsuit, filed in district court in Fort Myers, Florida, claims that DuVernay’s five-part series, “When They See Us,” contains scenes that portray Fairstein “in a false and defamatory manner.”
Trump Campaign Sues Washington Post for Defamation, One Week after NY Times Lawsuit
The eight-page complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, claims that two essays falsely accused his campaign of conspiring with foreign governments to interfere with the 2016 election.
Federal Court Dismisses Virginia Lt. Governor’s $400 Million Defamation Suit Against CBS
In September 2019, Justin Fairfax sued CBS over its interviews and subsequent coverage of two sexual assault claims against him. This week, a U.S. District Judge dismissed his claims, citing no evidence that CBS' coverage would have led a reasonable viewer to assume they were true or that the organization endorsed the women's allegations.