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Pence slams DeSantis's plan to extend defamation law: Supreme Court 'will preserve our First Amendment'
Washington Examiner ^ | April 07, 2023 | Tiana Lowe

Posted on 04/08/2023 5:42:37 AM PDT by Mr. Mojo

At Gov. Ron DeSantis's (R-FL) urging, Florida Republicans are eagerly drafting a bill to expand the scope of defamation law. But not everyone in the conservative movement is a fan.

During an exclusive interview with the Washington Examiner, former Vice President Mike Pence made clear that he was not thrilled about challenging New York Times v. Sullivan, the Supreme Court case establishing the actual malice standard for defamation of public figures.

"Well, let me just say in the broadest sense, I believe a free and independent press is a bulwark of our nation," Pence said. "From my years in Congress, as a governor and, I trust, as vice president, we've worked to preserve the ability of the media, however maddening it can be from time to time, we’ve worked hard to preserve the freedom of the press to thrive in America. I would hold to the view that any effort to intrude upon that would not be in the interest of the nation."

Under current law, the actual malice standard requires a defendant to make a knowingly false statement or have a reckless disregard for the truth when making a defamatory statement about a public figure.

"I've helped found and co-chair the world Free Press caucus when I was a member of Congress," Pence, who served in Congress and as the governor of Indiana prior to becoming former President Donald Trump's vice president, said. "I’ll always be a champion of a free and independent press, and I trust that the conservative majority on the Supreme Court of the United States will preserve our First Amendment."

While Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has called for the nation's highest bench to reconsider Sullivan, former Attorney General William Barr and other prominent Republican lawyers have opposed the push to expand the scope of defamation law.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 1a; defamation; defamationlaw; desantis; enemyofthepeople; freepress; freespeech; pence; robdesantis
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To: dforest

Or mcstain choosing Palin


41 posted on 04/08/2023 7:52:25 AM PDT by cableguymn
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To: Mr. Mojo

“...But not everyone in the conservative movement is a fan...During an exclusive interview with the Washington Examiner, former Vice President Mike Pence...

Pence is welcome to his opinion, but did they ask any conservative about it?


42 posted on 04/08/2023 7:54:22 AM PDT by BobL
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To: Ann Archy

If I was a lefty in the msm I would:
Promote polls showing Trump ahead.
Write opinion pieces attacking DeSantis as a RINO.
Use the legal action in NY to unite the right around Trump.


43 posted on 04/08/2023 7:55:25 AM PDT by Gary from Dayton (Scary unvaccinated American )
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To: Mr. Mojo

Pence: THAT FREE PRESS LEfT THE BUILDING-—YEARS AGO


44 posted on 04/08/2023 8:44:49 AM PDT by ridesthemiles
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To: bte

DeSantis is at least LEGALLY ELIGIBLE to be President.

]NIKKI HALEY IS NOT ELIGIBLE.


45 posted on 04/08/2023 8:45:49 AM PDT by ridesthemiles
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To: Mr. Mojo

Pence....Judas Pence???
He’s in no position to be slamming anyone.
IF the POS had even a modicum of integrity, he’d have tossed his 30 pieces of bitcoin onto the senate floor and gone out and hanged himself.


46 posted on 04/08/2023 11:27:52 AM PDT by lgjhn23 ("On the 8th day, Satan created the progressive liberal to destroy all the good that God created...")
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To: dforest

So it took several idiots to come up with Quayle?


47 posted on 04/08/2023 9:54:57 PM PDT by scrabblehack
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To: scrabblehack

GHWB was deep state elite. GHWB is one that helps do the picking. He wanted a guy who just did as he was told.


48 posted on 04/09/2023 5:10:29 AM PDT by dforest (All of America has derailed.)
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