Trump campaign sues CNN over ‘false and defamatory’ statements, seeks millions in damages

[Burnt Reynolds 5,058]

Quote

 

President Trump’s re-election campaign filed a libel lawsuit against CNN on Friday for publishing “false and defamatory” statements about seeking Russia’s help in the 2020 election.

"The complaint alleges CNN was aware of the falsity at the time it published them but did so for the intentional purpose of hurting the campaign while misleading its own readers in the process... the campaign filed this lawsuit against CNN and the preceding suits against The New York Times and The Washington Post to hold the publishers accountable for their reckless false reporting and also to establish the truth,” Senior Legal Adviser to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. Jenna Ellis told Fox News.

 

Fox News obtained the complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia where CNN is located. It states in part that CNN claimed Trump’s campaign “assessed the potential risks and benefits of again seeking Russia’s help in 2020 and has decided to leave that option on the table.”

 

https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-campaign-sues-cnn-false-defamatory-statements-millions-damages

 

This follows another lawsuit by Devin Nunes. It's time the media start paying for defamation. 👍

[Steeleballz 7,550]

 

  Trump's campaign is taking issue with someone making false claims? That's a good one. Might be opening a can of worms there.

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

Just now, Steeleballz said:

 

  Trump's campaign is taking issue with someone making false claims? That's a good one. Might be opening a can of worms there.

While I agree with your train of thought, he DID win against ole Stormy Daniels.

[Steeleballz 7,550]

5 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

While I agree with your train of thought, he DID win against ole Stormy Daniels.

 

  Well they certainly could win, and CNN certainly deserves to be taken to task for some of the things they have done. When it comes to defamation though, could be a tactic that backfires. Trump has given out at least as many insults as he has taken, and not all were fair.

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

Not saying Trump is blameless, nor that he hasn't instigated name calling ( and a person in his position SHOULD be more diplomatic in the use of harsh words ), but here's a point to ponder:

 

[Burnt Reynolds 5,058]

The distinction between what one views as bad/dumb opinions and defamation (including libel/slander) are quite clear in the way they're presented. Trump's attacks on fake news are unequivocally opinion. 

 

Saying "assessed the potential risks and benefits of again seeking Russia's help in 2020 and has decided to leave that option on the table" is unequivocally not opinion, but presenting something as fact and attributing it to Trump.. defamation.

 

The headline.. "Soliciting dirt on your opponents from a foreign government is a crime. Mueller should have charged Trump campaign officials with it"

 

That is opinion. And bad one. But not defamation. It's clear the media has gone far over the line of what is defamation after towing it even beforehand. People need to be held responsible for what they say when what they say causes damage to other people. The essence of freedom is the ability to say whatever is on your mind, no matter how ridiculous, but with that comes responsibility for when the things you say directly causes harm to others. Inducing panic, inciting riots, solicitation of committing a crime, defamation.. tried and true examples.

Edited March 7, 2020 by Burnt Reynolds

[TBoneTX 45,966]

Tortfeasin', if you ask me.  Pure, unadulterated, perhaps heterodox tortfeasin'.