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MSNBC Pundit's Tweet Claiming Lawyer "Coached" Jan. 6 Witness Not Negligent

Volokh Conspiracy
Read full article →reason.com

Summary

AI-Generated
  • A federal court has ruled that MSNBC pundit Andrew Weissmann's tweet accusing lawyer Stefan Passantino of "coaching" a witness to lie was not negligent.
  • Judge Loren AliKhan concluded that Passantino failed to establish the necessary level of fault for defamation, assuming he is a private figure.
  • The court noted that Weissmann had reasonable grounds to believe his statement was true, supported by congressional testimony and media reports.
  • This ruling underscores the challenges public figures face in defamation claims, particularly regarding the standard of negligence and actual malice.

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