Court Dismisses Trump Campaignâs Defamation Suit Against New York Times
A New York State judge ruled that the opinion essay at the center of the suit was constitutionally protected speech.
The campaign of former President Donald J. Trump sued three news organizations last year. Two of the lawsuits have been dismissed.Credit.Erin Schaff/The New York Times
March 9, 2021
A New York State court on Tuesday dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by the re-election campaign of Donald J. Trump against The New York Times Company, ruling that an opinion essay that argued there had been a âquid pro quoâ between the candidate and Russian officials before the 2016 presidential election was protected speech.
By Mychael Schnell - 03/09/21 07:02 PM EST
The New York Supreme Court dismissed the Trump campaign s defamation lawsuit against The New York Times on Tuesday, saying the campaign had failed to prove that the Times intentionally defamed Trump.
The Trump campaign sued the Times over a March 2019 opinion piece by Max Frankel, a former executive editor of the newspaper.
In the piece, Frankel argued that there was an “overarching deal” between Russia and the Trump campaign to help former President Trump
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The court ruled the campaign had failed to establish actual malice with its lawsuit, as it had not shown that Frankel and the Times had knowledge that the statements were false, or that they were made with a reckless disregard for the truth.
New York Supreme Court tosses Trump defamation lawsuit against NYT Chris Sommerfeldt
A New York Supreme Court justice on Tuesday dismissed a Trump campaign lawsuit claiming the New York Times defamed the former president by publishing an opinion piece that accused him of colluding with Russia in the 2016 election.
The Trump camp’s lawsuit failed to show that the Gray Lady acted with actual malice a high legal bar required for successful defamation actions by publishing the March 2019 piece entitled “The Real Trump-Russia Quid Pro Quo,” Justice James d’Auguste wrote in a ruling.
“In this regard, bias, or ulterior motive does not constitute actual malice,” d’Auguste wrote.
Trump campaign loses defamation lawsuit against New York Times over Russia quid pro quo op-ed
CNBC 3/10/2021 Dan Mangan
A judge dismissed a lawsuit by former President Donald Trump s campaign that accused The New York Times of defaming it with an opinion column arguing there was a quid pro quo between the campaign and Russia in 2016.
The dismissal Tuesday was with prejudice, meaning that Trump s campaign cannot refile the lawsuit over the op-ed, written by former Times executive editor Max Frankel.
A similar defamation suit by the campaign against CNN was dismissed last fall, while another one remains pending in federal court against The Washington Post.
New York Times won the dismissal of the lawsuit filed by former President
Donald Trump’s campaign over the op-ed “The Real Trump-Russia Quid Pro Quo” on Tuesday, with a Manhattan judge finding the column was “nonactionable opinion” and the complaint failed to show actual malice.
“The court made clear today a fundamental point about press freedom: we should not tolerate libel suits that are brought by people in power intending to silence and intimidate those who scrutinize them,”
New York Times general counsel
David McCraw told Law&Crime in an email.
“We are pleased that the court has delivered that message powerfully today,” he added.