Federal judge deals setback to BuzzFeed in Russia dossier lawsuit
Source: Politico
By JOSH GERSTEIN 12/19/2018 07:40 AM EST
BuzzFeed’s legal defense of its decision to publish the so-called Trump dossier suffered a setback Tuesday night as a federal judge issued a ruling that could make it easier for a Russian internet entrepreneur to prevail in a libel suit against the online news outlet.
Miami-based U.S. District Court Judge Ursula Ungaro ruled that Russian businessman Aleksej Gubarev is not a public figure for purposes of the defamation suit he filed last year.
The decision means that Gubarev might be able to prevail in the suit by showing mere negligence by BuzzFeed and won’t have to meet the more demanding “actual malice” standard typically applied in U.S. courts in controversies involving prominent individuals or those actively engaged in a public debate.
BuzzFeed spokesman Matt Mittenthal expressed disappointment in the decision, but stressed that the media company is advancing several other legal arguments about why it was justified in its decision to publish the dossier former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele compiled about alleged ties between President Donald Trump and Russia.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/19/buzzfeed-russia-dossier-lawsuit-setback-1068728
= new reply since forum marked as read
