US judge dismisses Donald Trump's lawsuit against New York Times
What's the story
Former United States (US) President Donald Trump's legal woes continued after his lawsuit against the news outlet New York Times (NYT) was dismissed on Wednesday by a New York Supreme Court judge. Furthermore, the court also ordered Trump to pay all attorneys fees, associated costs, and other legal expenses, according to The Washington Post.
Context
Why does this story matter?
In 2021, Trump filed a $100 million lawsuit alleging that his niece, Mary Trump, and the NYT collaborated on an "insidious plot" to access his confidential documents for a Pulitzer-winning story about his tax issues. The lawsuit also alleged that interactions between his niece and three NYT reporters led to a "breach of contract" of a family confidentiality agreement in 2001.
Details
Details on Justice Reed's ruling
Justice Robert Reed wrote in his official ruling that the former US president's allegations "fail as a matter of constitutional law" against the defendants. Meanwhile, news outlet The Daily Beast reported that the NY Supreme Court judge also said that the reporting by the news organization was at "the very core of protected First Amendment activity."
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NYT spokesperson reacts to judgment
Charlie Stadtlander, a spokesperson for the news outlet, reacted to Wednesday's judgment, saying, "The New York Times is pleased with the judge's decision today." "It is an important precedent reaffirming that the press is protected when it engages in routine newsgathering to obtain information of vital importance to the public," the spokesperson further added.
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Trump's niece's team reacts to NY court's judgment
While there was no judgment on the allegation against Trump's niece, Mary's attorney, Theodore Boutrous Jr, said they are "confident the court will also protect Ms. Trump's exercise of her First Amendment rights." "We are pleased the court reached the correct ruling dismissing Mr. Trump's frivolous case against The NY Times and its reporters," he added.
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Trump's long history of suing news organizations
Notably, Trump has a long history of threatening to sue news organizations. However, he has not seen much success from such lawsuits or has not followed through on all occasions. To recall, defamation lawsuits filed by Trump's attorney, Charles Harder, on behalf of the former US president's campaign against CNN and the NYT were thrown out by courts in 2020 and 2021.
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Trump's ongoing legal woes
It is also worth noting that Trump has recently been involved in several legal battles. Last month, the former US president pleaded not guilty to a hush-money payment to a porn star. Trump is also being investigated for allegedly mishandling confidential White House documents, the Capitol Hill attack, and his measures to reverse his election defeat in Georgia in 2020.