Trump Threatens New York Times, Penguin Random House over Critical Coverage
www.cjr.org
Legal letter follows complaints aimed at CBS News, the Washington Post, and the Daily Beast.

Summary

Donald Trump has launched a series of legal actions against major news outlets, including the New York Times, CBS News, and the Washington Post, demanding billions in damages for alleged defamatory coverage.

A letter from Trump’s attorney accuses the Times of engaging in “industrial-scale libel” and targets articles scrutinizing Trump’s business and political conduct.

Legal complaints have also been filed over CBS’s alleged pro-Kamala Harris edits and Washington Post articles purportedly aiding her campaign.

Legal experts warn that such litigation could have a “chilling effect” on journalism, especially for smaller outlets.

      • ReallyActuallyFrankenstein@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
        6·
        3 days ago

        I look at it as “the beginning of the end.” It’s crossing the event horizon in a black hole.

        The GOP has successfully created an alternate fictional reality for the majority of voters, but once free press has been suppressed, there can’t be competing realities. There’s almost certainly no going back because the state propaganda at that point is the only game in town, and no oppositional narrative can take hold.

        • jrs100000@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          3 days ago

          This is just a frivolous lawsuit. Its unusual for a president elect to file one, but its nothing unprecedented. When the first reporters start falling out of windows, that will be the beginning of the end.

      • Sanctus@lemmy.worldEnglish
        31·
        3 days ago

        No, its just we won’t be converting then. We will BE an authoritarian nation when everything gets much worse.

  • FlowVoid@lemmy.worldEnglish
    611·
    3 days ago

    A few observations:

    • This won’t be the first time those media outlets have been sued for libel. It’s a common enough occurrence that they keep lawyers around ready to litigate. So this isn’t as chilling as Trump might hope.
    • Litigation means discovery. If Trump wants to win, he’ll have to turn over his private records to NYT lawyers. If he refuses then his case will be thrown out.
    • Once Trump takes office, it will be harder to pull this kind of crap. Only private individuals can sue for defamation, the government cannot.
  • Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world
    491·
    4 days ago

    They already normalized your hate and idiocy, you mad they called you out on the Opinion pages?

  • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
    12·
    3 days ago

    But they repeatedly promised while campaigning that they are the party of free speech! Surely they didn’t just lie to my face??

    • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      3 days ago

      They are for freezed peach like the Nazis are for “peace” - if there is no opposition, those in agreement (and are the “right” kind of people) can have all the free speech and peace they want.

  • errer@lemmy.worldEnglish
    271·
    3 days ago

    Washington Post? Wasn’t Bezos licking your orange taint by silencing his editorial department enough of a payoff?

  • Zier@fedia.io
    16·
    3 days ago

    There is a razor sharp golden sword that will be wielded against the government called the First Amendment. Fuck off orange pumpkin!

    • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
      172·
      3 days ago

      When the idiots have captured essentially every branch of the government there’s no one left who will bother enforcing the constitution against themselves.