The Lincoln Project works the eye
Trump actually filed the libel suit he threatened against Rupert Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal:
President Donald Trump on Friday followed through on his threat to sue media mogul Rupert Murdoch after his Wall Street Journal published an article saying that Trump sent his then-friend Jeffrey Epstein a “bawdy” letter for Epstein’s 50th birthday.
Trump, who angrily denies writing the letter, is seeking damages of no less than $10 billion in the lawsuit alleging defamation.
Named as defendants in the suit in federal court in the Southern District of Florida are Murdoch, his company News Corp and its CEO Robert Thomson, the Journal’s publisher, Dow Jones & Co., and the two reporters who wrote the article published Thursday evening.
A Dow Jones spokesperson sent the following statement to CNBC: “We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”
I wasn’t sure he’d actually pull the trigger on this lawsuit. Because TACO. And because he has to know that the Journal can back up its story.
But Trump is also feeling the heat from the Epstein saga. Where tariffs are his default foreign policy tool, leveraging his power to kill pending mergers is his default against corporate irritants, and lawsuits are his go-to for working out his personal grievances. His toolbox is pretty spare. He’s flailing.
Former “Fox and Friends” host Gretchen Carlson told CNN Friday evening:
“Yeah, I’m shocked. I mean, up until a few hours ago, I would have told you that I didn’t think he was going to do this,” Carlson said.
She noted that Trump may be emboldened after emerging successful with ABC and CBS and “bribing law firms to give him free services.”
“So I do think that the gloves are off now,” she said. “I think that this presents a conundrum for Murdoch and for Trump.”
Carlson said Murdoch may have another trick up his sleeve when it comes to taking on the president.
“The card that Murdoch has is that he can tell Fox News to start covering these stories. So that’s also his conundrum, because the last time that that happened, all the viewers went to other outlets,” she warned. “So there’s risk for Murdoch in that scenario. But for Trump, there’s also a conundrum, because if Murdoch decides to tell Fox to start covering these stories, that’s a huge risk for Trump.”
She concluded, “So they both have a lot to lose in this scenario.”
But it’s Trump who’s feeling more heat.
The Lincoln Project is cited in Trump’s complaint, much to their satisfaction.
* * * * *
Have you fought dictatorship today?
The Resistance Lab
Choose Democracy
Indivisible: A Guide to Democracy on the Brink
You Have Power
Chop Wood, Carry Water
Thirty lonely but beautiful actions
Attending a Protest Surveillance Self-Defense