NEW YORK (AP) – A defamation lawsuit, Congressman Devin Nunes, filed against CNN, was filed by a Manhattan judge on Friday.
The lawsuit seeking more than $ 435 million in damages was dismissed by district judge Laura Taylor Swain, who said the California Republican did not request a retraction in a timely manner or adequately filed his claims.
Nunes claimed that the cable news company intentionally published a fake news on November 22, 2019 and was involved in a conspiracy to defame and damage his personal and professional reputation.
The lawsuit said that CNN published a report containing false claims that Nunes was involved in efforts to “dirty” then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.
Nunes’ lawyers said in court documents that CNN knew that the statements made by Lev Parnas, and included in his report, were false.
Parnas, an associate of former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court to charges that he made illegal contributions to politicians that he thought could help his political and commercial interests. His trial is scheduled for October.
Parnas and another co-defendant worked with Giuliani to try to get Ukrainian authorities to investigate Biden’s son, prosecutors said. Giuliani said he knew nothing about the political contributions of men. He was not charged.
Nunes’ lawsuit said Parnas was lying to try to get immunity.
“It was obvious to everyone – including the shameful CNN – that Parnas was a fraudster and a drug dealer. It was obvious that his lies were part of a veiled attempt to obstruct justice, ”said the suit.
In court documents, CNN’s lawyers said Nunes and his team declined to comment before publication if Nunes had met with a Ukrainian prosecutor.
“Instead of denying the report before it was published, Dep. Nunes waited until it appeared and then filed a lawsuit seeking more than $ 435 million in damages – labeling CNN as ‘the mother of false news’,” they wrote CNN’s lawyers. “In his haste to sue, however, Dep. Nunes neglected the need to first request a retraction.”
The lawyers noted that California law, which Swain said was appropriate for the case, requires that a retraction be required in writing within 20 days of the publication of a story.
Messages asking for comments were sent to Nunes and CNN’s lawyers.