Trump’s suit seeks “accountability for brazen election interference.” I’m not a lawyer but also sounds like they’re alleging criminal activity as Trump’s outlandish claim would also imply a conspiracy against him. Given that there is no proof of that, or even that Trump’s lawyers are interested in seeking evidence, they’ve alleged that it violates the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act, a ludicrous claim that likely won’t go anywhere but will cause headaches for Ann Selzer and the Iowa Register.
Given the cost of litigation, we probably won’t see a countersuit from Ann Selzer or the Des Moines Register but it’s certainly a possibility. Trump’s not-so-frivolous lawsuits are going to have a chilling effect on the media landscape, as we’ve already seen. And when we see such outright capitulation already by ABC (owned by the Disney company) it’s more likely than not to succeed.
Source: CNN
New York CNN – President-elect Donald Trump is escalating his legal campaign against media outlets by suing renowned pollster J. Ann Selzer, her polling firm, The Des Moines Register newspaper and its parent company Gannett.
Unlike many of Trump’s legal actions against the press, which often allege defamation, this case alleges violations of the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act, which prohibits deception when advertising or selling merchandise.
