Topic: Libel

Kash Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic, characterizing their reporting on his alleged intoxication as "pure fantasy." The lawsuit specifically disputes claims regarding the use of breaching equipment to enter his room. A brief educational aside clarifies the legal distinction between slander (spoken defamation) and libel (written or published defamation).

Author Mark Steyn has been involved in a long-running legal battle with climatologist Michael Mann over comments regarding the "hockey stick" climate graph. The case, which has spanned over a decade in the DC court system, centers on allegations of libel and the scientific validity of Mann's research.

Donald Trump participated in a fawning interview with GB News where he discussed potential litigation against the BBC for egregious reporting. Trump emphasized that the goal of such a lawsuit would be to reach the discovery phase to uncover internal communications and determine how often the organization has targeted individuals.

The hosts discuss the long-running legal battle between author Mark Steyn and climate scientist Michael Mann. Steyn has spent over a decade in DC courts after calling Mann's "hockey stick" climate graph a fraud. They also joke about suing other podcasters for using the "Value for Value" model.

A guide on the differences between libel (written) and slander (spoken) highlights the legal risks of defamation on social media. The distinction between private and public figures is crucial, as public figures face a higher burden of proof when seeking damages for reputational harm.

The hosts discuss the importance of avoiding libel and slander in independent media, referencing lessons learned from tech pioneer Adam Osborne. They emphasize that calling someone a "crook" without a conviction is a legal risk, whereas public figures have a higher threshold for proving defamation. The conversation underscores the "grind" of maintaining a show while navigating legal boundaries.

Harvard Law professor Cass Sunstein's appointment to the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is analyzed. The hosts discuss Sunstein's book "On Rumors" and his proposals for "notify and take down" systems for internet speech. They express concern that these powers will be used to stifle dissent on topics like climate change by labeling alternative views as "damaging falsehoods."

A comprehensive list of individuals associated with the JFK assassination who died under mysterious circumstances continues to circulate among researchers. The list includes numerous "accidental" deaths, such as hunting accidents and falls, occurring well into the 1990s. Legal experts note that while the dead cannot be defamed under standard libel law, estates can still pursue litigation if the use of a deceased person's image or brand harms an ongoing business interest.

Judge Maya Guerra Gamble admonished Alex Jones for allegedly lying under oath regarding his compliance with discovery and his bankruptcy status. The judge clarified that believing something is true does not protect a defendant from defamation claims if the statements are demonstrably false. The tension between the court and Jones highlights the complexities of the high-profile tort case.

The defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard concluded with Depp being awarded $15 million and Heard $2 million. Legal analysts note that the $5 million punitive damage award will be reduced to $350,000 per Virginia state law. Discussion also touches on the ACLU's involvement in drafting the original Washington Post op-ed and the potential for further legal appeals.

CNN host Don Lemon called for social media to be regulated like legacy media to prevent the spread of misinformation. Lemon’s frustration stems from a photoshopped image circulating online that depicts him with Jeffrey Epstein. Critics point out the irony of Lemon’s demand for "truth" given CNN's own history of legal settlements regarding inaccurate reporting.

The hosts express frustration that mainstream media is only now reporting on topics they discussed a year ago, such as gain-of-function research and aerosol transmission. A brief tangent involves a joke about suing for libel after being labeled "nut jobs" by critics.

A long-standing libel lawsuit filed by climatologist Michael Mann against Dr. Tim Ball was dismissed with prejudice by a Canadian judge. Mann, the creator of the famous "hockey stick" temperature graph, was ordered to pay Ball's legal costs after failing to produce underlying data for the court. The hosts discuss the implications of this ruling for the global warming debate and the transparency of climate science.

Lawyers for Covington Catholic student Nicholas Sandman filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the Washington Post. The suit alleges the paper engaged in "modern-day McCarthyism" by smearing the teenager to advance an anti-Trump agenda. The legal action focuses on the Post's failure to review full video footage of the encounter with Nathan Phillips and the Black Hebrew Israelites.

Constitutional lawyer Alan Dershowitz analyzed the Sandman lawsuit, noting that the student is not a public figure and therefore has a stronger case for libel. He suggested that if the Washington Post loses, its liability insurance could be at risk, forcing a more conservative approach to future reporting. The $250 million figure is noted as being equal to the price Jeff Bezos paid for the newspaper.

A personal anecdote regarding a two-day seminar with a libel lawyer during the writing of a book about Adam Osborne highlights the legal boundaries of public criticism. The discussion notes that calling someone a "criminal" before a conviction is a primary source of libel. However, libel laws generally do not apply to the deceased, which explains the surge in controversial documentaries about figures like Michael Jackson.

The Guardian significantly revised its article about the alleged Manafort-Assange meetings shortly after publication, adding qualifiers like "sources say" and "apparent." Lead author Luke Harding is criticized for a history of publishing questionable stories. The hosts use the "News Sniffer" tool to track these editorial changes, characterizing the original report as a potential intelligence plant or hoax.

ABC News and other networks are heavily reporting Michael Wolff's claims that Donald Trump is "unfit for office" and "like a child." The President responded by calling the book a work of fiction and suggesting that U.S. libel laws are too weak. The hosts argue that the media's focus on the President's mental health is a political strategy to maintain instability ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.

Aleksej Gubarev, a Russian tech executive based in Texas, is suing BuzzFeed for slander after being named as a "scammer" and "spammer" in the Christopher Steele dossier. BuzzFeed has since redacted his name from the published document, but the lawsuit continues in Miami. The hosts also note a media "filter" where reporters seem to struggle with gendered language like "right-hand man."

A circuit court ruling suggests that Christopher Steele could be compelled to testify in the United States due to the ongoing libel lawsuit against BuzzFeed. The hosts discuss the possibility of Steele being extradited from the UK, where libel laws are significantly stricter. They speculate that if Steele enters the U.S., Special Counsel Robert Mueller may attempt to secure his testimony regarding the dossier's origins.