Tuesday, September 10, 2019

One America News Network files $10 million defamation lawsuit against Rachel Maddow, MSNBC, and corporate parents


Thomas Lifson  "President Trump isn’t the only one who hits back. The parent of the scrappy conservative news outlet One America News Network (OANN), Herring Networks, has filed a lawsuit against Rachel Maddow, MSNBC, and its corporate parents for defamation. The entire statement by the plaintiff’s attorneys is embedded below, but this constitutes the heart of the matter, and goes beyond mere defamation:"
. . . 

"The concentration of ownership of our media is a major problem, particularly since studies consistently reveal that 90% of news reporting is hostile to President Trump. When a corporation like Comcast (and its parent AT&T) controls news providers like MSNBC and NBC, and also controls a major distribution system like Comcast’s cable operations, the exclusion of a competitor that offers a diametrically different viewpoint, that seems like a problem for which antitrust law is the solution." . . .

Maddow called OAN "a little boutique news outlet"  
. . . “This is vile, sensationalistic reporting,” OANN’s lawyer, Skip Miller, said according to a previous press release. “These defamatory statements must be retracted immediately. One America News Network has no connection to the Russian government or any other government — no connection whatsoever, financial or otherwise.”
"Comcast is being sued for refusing to carry OANN as part of its cable programming because the network could go against liberal politics of MSNBC, according to the complaint. The lawsuit also alleges that Maddow and the other defendants knew her comment was false. It suggests the statement was intentionally made to hurt OANN because of the network’s conservative views."
Via Weasel Zippers
. . . "OANN’s lawyers gave Maddow and The Daily Beast until Aug. 15 to retract its statements, according to the cease-and-desist requests sent on July 29.
“ 'One America is wholly owned, operated and financed by the Herring family in San Diego,” Miller said according to a statement. “They are as American as apple pie. They are not paid by Russia and have nothing to do with the Russian government.”
“ 'This is a false and malicious libel, and they’re going to answer for it in a court of law.” . . .

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