Donald Trump has long said that he would like to change the libel laws to make it easy for him to sue people who’s criticism or opinions he does not like. Pretty much defined as anyone who disagrees with him on anything. Much of his complaining and wishing took place when he was a private citizen. Now he’s President and he can get more serious about it.
In an interview with George Karl on ABC, Reince Priebus said that the White House has looked into ways to tighten libel laws to make them more restrictive on the press. Such changes would almost certainly require amending the First Amendment. The one protecting freedom of speech. That one.
The Washington Post notes that, “Government officials can already win libel cases if they show that someone is saying something (1) false (2) about them (3) that injures their reputation and (4) the speaker knows the statement is false, or is at least quite likely false.”
In the interview Karl noted that Trump has tweeted, ““The failing ‘New York Times’ has disgraced the media world, gotten me wrong for two solid years. Change the libel laws.”
Karl said, “That would require, as I understand it, a constitutional amendment.
Priebus responded, “I think it’s something that we’ve looked at and how that gets executed or whether that goes anywhere is a different story.”
Hopefully this is not going to get executed and will go nowhere. However, the fact that the White House is considering such action is extremely disturbing. But with this President anything is possible and he has made it clear that he is engaged in full scale war with journalists.
Submitted by Michael Pfeifer, WCD Member
Sources:
ttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2017/05/01/white-house-chief-of-staff-reince-priebus-on-changes-to-libel-law/?utm_term=.d6c0f60353fe
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-house-official-weve-looked-libel-laws-restrict/story?id=47114566
http://theweek.com/speedreads/695695/reince-priebus-admits-trump-administration-looked-into-changing-first-amendment