Trump wants to 'open up' libel laws to sue media outlets

[houston16revival]

Source: thehill.com

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Friday vowed to “open up” libel laws in order to sue media outlets that write “purposely negative” and “horrible” articles about him.

“I’m gonna open up our libel laws, so when they write purposely negative and horrible, false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money,” Trump said at a rally in Fort Worth, Texas.

“We’re going to open up those libels laws,” he added. “So that when The New York Times writes a hit piece, which is a total disgrace, or when The Washington Post, which is there for other reasons, writes a hit piece, we can sue them and win money.”

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/270956-trump-threatens-to-open-up-libel-laws-to-sue-newspapers

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Gee .... what happened to old fashioned GOP Tort Reform?

[7962]

1. He's the most lawsuit-happy guy i've ever seen.

Its really gotten ridiculous with him. Yet nobody cares..........

[houston16revival]

2. So much for Freedom of the Press

maybe some of the media will wake up now?

[lancer78]

11. F the press!!

See my post #10

[Maeve]

3. The President doesn't write laws

And should he change the laws, he'd be in just as much jeopardy for the lies he tells. However, I think I found the theory that covers anything said about Trumpkin in Wikipedia, defense against charge of libel:

Claimant is incapable of further defamation – e.g., the claimant's position in the community is so poor that defamation could not do further damage to the plaintiff. Such a claimant could be said to be "libel-proof", since in most jurisdictions, actual damage is an essential element for a libel claim. Essentially, the defense is that the person had such a bad reputation before the libel, that no further damage could possibly have been caused by the making of the statement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamation#Defenses

You can't defame crap--it's already as bad as it gets.

[houston16revival]

4. Very very good research and perspective

sort of like a legal basis for the teflon phenomenon

[saturnsring]

6. You can't defame crap--it's already as bad as it gets. nice

[Eugene]

5. Of course, it's pointless to remind him that what he wants is unconstitutional.

Never mind the fact that presidents don't make laws, as others
have pointed out in earlier replies.

In Trump's case, the truth is a viable defense against any libel claim.

[saturnsring]

7. but my guess is the sheeple at his rally screamed something gutteral in approval

[SheilaT]

8. Statements like that show how truly awful it would be if he became President.

He hasn't a clue how the system actually works. He seems to think that being President would be like being the star of the coolest reality show ever. He doesn't understand that the system works, more or less, and he won't be able to do exactly what he likes, when he likes it. He won't be able to fire very many of the people that won't bend to his will. Just imagine the first time there's a Supreme Court decision that he doesn't like, and so he thinks he can just remove the judges he doesn't want and simply appoint new ones. Or when the JCS tell him no, they won't just start bombing whatever country he wants bombed. Stuff like that.

[houston16revival]

9. Maybe that's the whole point

What do these activities have in common?

Steal the 2000 election

Shutdown the government over budget issues

Refuse to confirm Federal judge appointees

Refuse to hold hearings on a Supreme Court nominee

Defund Planned Parenthood with budget restraints

Stifle the press, create a Constitutional Crisis

---------------------------------------------

All to eliminate government, drown it in their bathtub as Norquist has said

An argument could be made that a coup would be welcomed by some

[lancer78]

10. The media is out of control

in their quest for ratings and profits. Recently I was named in a local story, yet I was never contacted by the reporter to give my side, or to provide a response. Modern yellow-journalism can and does ruin peoples lives. Maybe if they can get sued often enough, the media will learn that it needs to behave and show some decency and journalistic integrity.

[redwitch]

12. I hate to tell ya Donald but

when you are a public figure people can say all kinds of mean things about you and you won't be able to do a damn thing about it.
Such a candy ass!

[MariaThinks]

13. say goodbye to fox

[Tommy_Carcetti]

14. That's not how it works....that's not how any of it works!

Unless, I mean, he's planning to appoint himself Chief Justice. And then fire the other 8 justices.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. He's a cowardly bully. Calls his rivals liars, but caves when media calls him a liar (truely)

Like a schoolyard bully, he can dish it out, but he can't take it.