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President Donald Trump formally sued The Wall Street Journal on Friday and the founder of News Corp, Rupert Murdoch, for publishing an article that made accusations about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein – but the effort could finally play against the interests of Republican by forcing him to deliver information about his relationship with the discredited financial.
Key facts
Trump sued The Wall Street Journalto Rupert Murdoch and the journalists who wrote the story about a “obscene” letter that Trump supposedly sent to Epstein for his 50th birthday, which supposedly included a drawing of a naked woman and a Trump message that said: “Happy birthday – and that every day is another wonderful secret.”
The president alleges that the newspaper and his employees defamed him when publishing the story, which Trump argues that he is false, and by “falsely representing the letter” as a fact, “affirming that the reporters and Murdoch published on the letter knowing that it did not exist.
The Wall Street Journal It will probably ask the court Journal They may request evidence from the other party that could help their case.
It is “reasonable” to expect the Journal “Look for Trump information about the nature of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” said Katie Fallow, deputy director of litigation in the Knight First Amendment Institute, pointing out that this could include any communication Trump has had with Epstein or records that detail their friendship.
The specific information that the Journal He could probably depend on the allegations he present in his judicial documents – which have not yet been submitted – Fallow said, but pointed out that the “general rule” in cases of defamation is that the parties “can request the discovery of anything that is relevant for an allegation or defense in the judicial process.”
This means that, depending on the allegations that the Journal Make in his defense, any evidence he tries to obtain from Trump during the discovery “could go beyond this letter” and provide additional information about the relationship between President and Epstein, Ballow added.
Lee: The Maga world mobilizes to defend Trump and qualifies the alleged letter to Epstein as ‘lie’
Cita Crucial
“I think the lawyers (of the Journal)… They would say that we want, to determine if something here is false, see the context of the relationship between Trump ”and Epstein, Fallow said Forbes about the tests that the newspaper could try to obtain during the discovery phase. “But it would really depend on the specific application.”
What has The Wall Street Journal said?
The Wall Street Journal And Murdoch have not commented if they plan to request a broad discovery against Trump in the case, and have not yet submitted legal documents detailing their arguments.
A spokesman for the parent company JournalDow Jones, said in a statement that the company “(has) full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our information” and “will vigorously defend any demand.”
How long will the defamation case take?
If the demand advances to the discovery phase, it will probably take years to develop and for any document to be made public. The case could also go to trial after concluding the discovery phase, with Trump’s demand requesting a jury trial to determine whether or not it was defamed.
That said, the litigation could also be resolved faster if the court decides that the case must be dismissed or if the Journal He reaches an agreement with Trump.
Key figure
10 billion dollars. That is the amount that Trump is requesting to the Wall Street Journal in concept of damages if the demand wins.
What supposedly says Trump’s letter to Epstein?
According to the report of JournalTrump’s birthday letter for Epstein includes an imagined dialogue between Trump and Epstein, which says:
“Voice-over: There must be something else in life than having everything.
Donald: Yes, there is, but I will not tell you what it is.
Jeffrey: I don’t know what it is also.
Donald: We have certain things in common, Jeffrey.
This article was originally published by Forbes US
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