Trump administration official sues CNN in $50M defamation lawsuit
The chief of staff to acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller has filed a defamation lawsuit against CNN, alleging the network published “unfounded left-wing political narratives” about him. The lawsuit, which seeks $50 million in damages for Kash Patel, named CNN and five of the network’s reporters as defendants, according to Fox News. The suit includes several examples of what the plaintiffs say are defamatory statements, including, “Trump loyalist connected to Biden conspiracy theories is leading Pentagon transition;” “Kash Patel, a Trump loyalist, … was connected to efforts to spread conspiracy theories about Joe Biden;” Patel “has also worked to discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election;” and “Defense Department transition office … is led by a Trump loyalist connected to efforts to spread conspiracy theories about the President-elect.” The complaint alleges the network “attacked” Patel “because CNN was deeply invested in promoting the Russia collusion hoax and the fraudulent ‘dossier’ manufactured by Fusion GPS.”
Patel’s attorney, Steven Biss, has represented California Rep. Devin Nunes, Patel’s former boss, in multiple lawsuits, including a defamation suit against CNN. “The Defendants fabricated the Defamatory Statements and knew, therefore, that the statements were false. They knew that Kash was not the source of a single conspiracy theory and had no connection to any conspiracy theory about Biden,” Biss argued. “Defendants provide no evidence or example of any stories spread by Kash about Biden because there are none. CNN reported on the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry and read the Democrats’ report, and knew, therefore, that no evidence was uncovered connecting Kash.” Biss argued that CNN “harbored extreme professional and personal animus, bias, spite, and ill-will towards Kash as a result of Kash’s revelations of CNN’s corrupt business practices and deceitful misreporting."
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-administration-official-sues-cnn-in-50m-defamation-lawsuit