Judge dismisses Trump’s ‘extraordinary’ lawsuit against Iowa newspaper and pollster
An Iowa judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump against the Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer. The court ruled that the lawsuit, which alleged fraudulent polling, threatened free speech protections and public debate.
Why it matters
The ruling reinforces legal protections for media organizations and pollsters against litigation intended to challenge their reporting on public affairs.
A copy of the Des Moines Register tucked into an office door in Des Moines, Iowa, on 12 January 2024. A copy of the Des Moines Register tucked into an office door in Des Moines, Iowa, on 12 January 2024. Donald Trump Judge dismisses Trump’s ‘extraordinary’ lawsuit against Iowa newspaper and pollster Trump had accused Des Moines Register of fraudulently publishing inaccurate poll results to damage him
Prefer the Guardian on Google A judge on Wednesday dismissed Donald Trump’s lawsuit accusing the Des Moines Register and its former pollster of misrepresenting the state of the 2024 presidential race, rejecting the president’s claim that the newspaper’s poll coverage violated Iowa’s consumer fraud law.
Calling the case extraordinary, Scott J Beattie, the Iowa district judge, said that the argument could have a chilling effect that “can discourage others from reporting on and debating public affairs”.
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