So, it turns out that Trump once more plans to sue CNN for $475 million over what he’s calling "Hitlerian" terms he claims the news channel used that were unfair representations about him after the 2020 election. Putting aside that -- this being Trump and that he, in fact, truly does now regularly use actual “Hitlerian” expressions such as “poisoning the blood” and calling people “vermin,” “not human” and "animals" -- I'd have thought Trump would have appreciated the reference, rather than sue for supposedly being insulted. His initial lawsuit against CNN was dismissed last summer. Apparently, though, Trump wants another bite at the poison apple -- for reasons unknown to rational man. After all, in dismissing the suit at the time, the judge wrote, in part -- "Acknowledging that CNN acted with political enmity does not save this case; the Complaint alleges no false statements of fact. Trump complains that CNN described his election challenges as 'the Big Lie.' Trump argues that 'the Big Lie' is a phrase attributed to Joseph Goebbels and that CNN’s use of the phrase wrongly links Trump with the Hitler regime in the public eye. This is a stacking of inferences that cannot support a finding of falsehood." The judge added that the comments were allowable because they were stated as opinion. Okay, that’s pretty brutal. A judge putting in his ruling that a link to Joseph Goebbels and Hitler cannot be considered a falsehood. And that Trump’s complaint of comparisons between his language and Hitler's do not include any false statements of fact. I believe the correct response is, “Ouch!” And Trump actually wants to go back and try again! In the middle of a presidential campaign!! Because, yes, the very thing most people want to do when running for president is debate whether or not they’re similar to Adolf Hitler. By the way, side question: how needy does a lawyer have to be in order to take this case? As for lawyers, from the other end of the equation, I suspect there is an army of lawyers lining up to defend the case. Begging CNN to take them on, saying that they'll even do it pro bono. Not only for free, but they might be willing to pay CNN for the honor of just being able to do a deposition against Trump under oath his racist, anti-Semitic and fascist tendencies and get him on the stand, sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but. And ultimately, that’s the concept that makes this “lawsuit” by Trump so insane. Especially when he knows he’s already had this same suit thrown out of court. (I have to assume that it was dismissed without prejudice, allowing Trump to bring it again.) But for Trump to carry his charge to fruition, he’ll have to testify to prove that the “Hitlerian” comparisons weren’t true, that he had never said anything as bad or worse in private, that when he said other things just as bad and violent and anti-Semitic and racist and white supremacist and cruel he didn’t really mean it, and that when he enabled neo-Nazis it had nothing to do with actual Nazis. And almost worse, he’ll have to show that he was harmed by “Hitlerian” comparisons, which might be the hardest thing of all for him. Harmed?? Trump's very success in politics has been based on a foundation of appealing to white supremacists, neo-Nazis, anti-Semites, fascists and racists. But Trump, for some unknown reason, wants to try again, and have a court debate comparing him and Hitler in the middle of his presidential campaign. Well, I say, you go for it! Now, of course, this might be one of those things Trump does for attention, and he doesn’t really plan to take this suit all the way, and is just hoping for a settlement. But if so, that doesn't even qualify as a nutty pipe dream. Because thinking that CNN would settle on a Freedom of the Press rights issue for saying things that are true, which a court already sided with them and dismissed, having found “no false statements of fact” is something that just is not going to happen. Indeed, CNN probably relishes the lawsuit, and would love to take it to court and get Trump on the stand, under oath. Which leaves the only remaining option Trump dropping the suit – which in some ways would be disastrous, as well. After all, suing someone for making “Hitlerian” allusions to you – and then you saying, “Okay, never mind, I can’t prove you did anything wrong” is a really horrific look for,,,anyone. But oh-so-much more so for a presidential candidate. Unless it's to be president of the Proud Boys. Seriously, I can’t get over this insanity in filing a lawsuit during a presidential election about comparison to your language and Hitler that has already been dismissed for having “no false statements of fact.” Trump’s depths of depravity are one thing. But when he drills that far down into the eighth level of seven-level hell to commit wounds this self-inflicted, he has no one to blame but himself. Works for me.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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