The lawsuit was described by defendants as a conspiracy theory and an affront to free speech protections.
The lawsuit was described by defendants as a conspiracy theory and an affront to free speech protections.Open
A district judge tossed an election interference lawsuit by President Trump against the Des Moines Register, parent company USA Today Co. (formerly Gannett) and pollster Ann Selzer , rejecting claims that its inaccurate pre-election poll amounted to consumer fraud. Why it matters: The dismissal is an early court test of Trump's broader push to use litigation against media organizations over coverage he disputes. Zoom in: In his ruling, Judge Scott Beatle said the plaintiff's attempt to use fraud law to allege liability on the poll was not a valid legal argument because political speech is protected by the First Amendment . - "As such, the only question before the Court is whether the Petition states a claim the law recognizes," Beatle…
A district judge tossed an election interference lawsuit by President Trump against the Des Moines Register, parent company USA Today Co. (formerly Gannett) and pollster Ann Selzer , rejecting claims that its inaccurate pre-election poll amounted to consumer fraud. Why it matters: The dismissal is an early court test of Trump's broader push to use litigation against media organizations over coverage he disputes. Zoom in: In his ruling, Judge Scott Beatle said the plaintiff's attempt to use fraud law to allege liability on the poll was not a valid legal argument because political speech is protected by the First Amendment . - "As such, the only question before the Court is whether the Petition states a claim the law recognizes," Beatle…Open
The suit challenged a poll that showed Trump trailing Kamala Harris in the final weeks of the 2024 campaign. A judge warned that similar legal challenges could have a chilling effect on news reporting.