Posted on 02/27/2016 10:02:24 AM PST by dschapin
Donald Trump said on Friday he plans to change libel laws in the United States so that he can have an easier time suing news organizations.
During a rally in Fort Worth, Texas, Trump began his usual tirade against newspapers such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, saying they're "losing money" and are "dishonest." The Republican presidential candidate then took a different turn, suggesting that when he's president they'll "have problems."
"One of the things I'm going to do if I win, and I hope we do and we're certainly leading. I'm going to open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money. We're going to open up those libel laws. So when The New York Times writes a hit piece which is a total disgrace or when The Washington Post, which is there for other reasons, writes a hit piece, we can sue them and win money instead of having no chance of winning because they're totally protected," Trump said.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media/2016/02/donald-trump-libel-laws-219866#ixzz41OOQy1Ch
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Damaged ego doesn't count. For Trump that is an issue.
Keep talking Donny, people will see though your Schick...
This thread needs to go back up on the breaking news bar. It is reporting very newsworthy comments by the leading Republican Candidate that he made yesterday that could affect every news organization in America and have a devastating effect on Free Speech. If anything is breaking news then this is.
He’ll have to get it through Congress...nothing to worry about - except if you’re the media and are planning to side with the Dems to SMEAR Trump.
Sorry, but I like someone that FIGHTS BACK. I’m sick of this ‘new tone’ crap.
How is that an attack on the first amendment.
They can say anything they want.
They just can’t lie knowingly without financial consequences, which right now they can.
He’s not proposing a criminal element or a government suppression.
I submit to you that Fox News has revealed oceans of malice against Trump. That news organization has worked tirelessly to torpedo his political campaign, because they hate him.
Is that OK? I say No.
Could Trump succeed in court and win damages from Fox? I doubt it.
This is a broken situation. The media is damaging society because they have no accountability.
Reason # 6,324 to oppose that ass.
If we have a press that is afraid to attack the rich and powerful due to laws that make it easy for them to be sued if they attack the wrong people that will have a massively chilling effect on Free Speech. Plus, this could effect every single conservative blogger and maybe even comments and vanities on Free Republic.
Attacking our enemies in the media is no reason to blow up the Constitution and our freedoms.
One thing you DON’T want is a damper on criticizing politicians. They need all the criticism they can get.
The current law makes sense - a news source may actually publish an inadvertent misrepresentation in good faith about a public figure. OR maybe jokingly like in a political cartoon. So the malice requirement makes sense - you purposely and recklessly intended to damage that person’s and his career.
What specific laws are you talking about?
I guess you don’t know that we have special laws that give the MSM special rights to tell lies that aren’t available to the rest of us.
The news media don’t have to worry about the libel laws, because the gubbermint has written special laws stating that they are different from everyone else, so they can lie their heads off and it’s almost impossible to stop them.
So he can tie you up in court if you criticize him.
Well, guess a little bit of that law wouldn't be to bad, surely??
Wonder if Trump could then sue himself...he's got BILLIONS and he could get richer.
No, if malice can be proven, Trump wins his case. Simple. No need to “open up” the libel laws that I can see.
They can be sued if it can be proven that they knowing printed lies to hurt someone.
Slippery slope here.And when the Dems get in office they will sue conservative news organizations under Donald’s libel laws. Trial lawyers will love Donald’s new libel laws.
Unfortunately, because of a case many years ago involving libel committed by the New York Times, the Supreme Court ruled you can defame a public figure and they don’t have recourse. New York Times v. Sullivan
That’s exactly what Trump wants and it is something we have not seen in America since the Alien and Sedition laws were rejected.
Not True. Here is the finding of Sullivan which is exactly what we have been saying the current law is.
Held: A State cannot, under the First and Fourteenth Amendments, award damages to a public official for defamatory falsehood relating to his official conduct unless he proves “actual malice” — that the statement was made with knowledge of its falsity or with reckless disregard of whether it was true or false. Pp. 265-292. https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/376/254
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