San Diego Judge Dismisses OAN's $10 Million Defamation Lawsuit Against Rachel Maddow

[riversedge]

Source: kpbs.org




Saturday, May 23, 2020



A federal judge Friday dismissed a $10 million defamation lawsuit filed by the owners and operators of the San Diego-based One America News Network against MSNBC and political commentator Rachel Maddow for telling her viewers last summer that the conservative network "really literally is paid Russian propaganda."
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Bashant ruled that Maddow's statement "is an opinion that cannot serve as the basis for a defamation claim," and thus is protected under the First Amendment.

The San Diego-based judge ruled that most viewers would be able to conclude that Maddow was forwarding her opinion when she made the July 22 statements.

"For her to exaggerate the facts and call OAN Russian propaganda was consistent with her tone up to that point, and the court finds a reasonable viewer would not take the statement as factual given this context," Bashant wrote. "The context of Maddow's statement shows reasonable viewers would consider the contested statement to be opinion."

In a motion to dismiss the case, Maddow's attorneys allege Herrings Networks was not objecting to anything from the Daily Beast article, and conceded that Rouz worked for an organization affiliated with the Russian government.

Maddow's attorneys maintained that her comments during the segment were opinions based entirely on the Daily Beast story, and "she nowhere indicates that she has separate knowledge about Mr. Rouz or the funding of OAN other than from that article."

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Read more: https://www.kpbs.org/news/2020/may/23/san-diego-judge-dismisses-oans-10-million-defamati/

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article said they will appeal this decision.

[smb]

1. "Baliff, Whack His Pee-Pee!" nt

[Srkdqltr]

2. And Rachel says.. knock yourself out.

[47of74]

3. Ahem

[iluvtennis]

4. Let them appeal. Per judge's ruling he statement is protected under First Amendment

Bashant ruled that Maddow's statement "is an opinion that cannot serve as the basis for a defamation claim," and thus is protected under the First Amendment.