Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Donald Trump: We're going to 'open up' libel laws
Politico ^ | 2/26/2016 | Hadas Gold

Posted on 02/27/2016 10:02:24 AM PST by dschapin

Donald Trump said on Friday he plans to change libel laws in the United States so that he can have an easier time suing news organizations.

During a rally in Fort Worth, Texas, Trump began his usual tirade against newspapers such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, saying they're "losing money" and are "dishonest." The Republican presidential candidate then took a different turn, suggesting that when he's president they'll "have problems."

"One of the things I'm going to do if I win, and I hope we do and we're certainly leading. I'm going to open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money. We're going to open up those libel laws. So when The New York Times writes a hit piece which is a total disgrace or when The Washington Post, which is there for other reasons, writes a hit piece, we can sue them and win money instead of having no chance of winning because they're totally protected," Trump said.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media/2016/02/donald-trump-libel-laws-219866#ixzz41OOQy1Ch

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 1984; 2016issues; censorship; firstamendment; freedominion; freedomofspeech; freespeech; ignoranceisstrength; lawsuit; libel; ministryoftruth; seditionact; trump; trumpelthinskin
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 221-234 next last
Trump said yesterday that he wants to change the libel laws to make it more easy for him to sue anyone that he thinks has unfairly attacked him. This is an attack on free speech folks.

As much as we hate the media, the idea of the President wanting to change the law to make it easier for him to censor the media should scare us more.

Vigorous free debate has always been a cornerstone of America. The fact that Trump is announcing that he wants to crack down on this confirms everything that I have feared about his authoritarian tendencies. We need a president not a strongman or dictator.

Please, I am begging any of you Trump supporters who also care about our freedom to reconsider your support for this man.

1 posted on 02/27/2016 10:02:24 AM PST by dschapin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: dschapin

begging .. LOL


2 posted on 02/27/2016 10:03:48 AM PST by Lib-Lickers 2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dschapin

If what is said is provably wrong, sue their @sses.


3 posted on 02/27/2016 10:03:53 AM PST by ConservativeMind ("Humane" = "Don't pen up pets or eat meat, but allow infanticide, abortion, and euthanasia.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dschapin

Actually I agree.

I’d want it done intelligently, but the US media is a propaganda arm of the Uniparty. They lie and they are focused on manipulating society for purely evil ends.

If the media tell lies I want them stopped. Adjustments to the Libel laws sounds like an excellent idea to me.


4 posted on 02/27/2016 10:04:25 AM PST by ClearCase_guy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dschapin

That’s positively frightening.


5 posted on 02/27/2016 10:04:27 AM PST by Mr Ramsbotham (Hain't we got all the fools in town on our side? And ain't that a big enough majority in any town?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dschapin

Goodbye first amendment under President Trump.


6 posted on 02/27/2016 10:05:02 AM PST by DrewsMum (If they wanted a conservative, they'd vote for one.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dschapin
He says this before he gets the chance to change the laws.

Smart guy, huh?

The election is what, five months before the election?

That will be five months for the media to unload every barrel they have prepared in their entire arsenal.

7 posted on 02/27/2016 10:05:44 AM PST by Slyfox (Ted Cruz does not need the presidency - the presidency needs Ted Cruz)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dschapin

It’s not an attack on free speech. It’s an attack on deliberate, criminal lies.

The news media have different laws from the rest of us. They can get away with blatant, deliberate lies and not be sued for libel. And they do it, constantly. Against decent people and in support of their communist principles.

What he’s saying is that the news media don’t deserve to have a special privilege to tell dirty lies that is denied to the rest of us.


8 posted on 02/27/2016 10:06:02 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dschapin

Good, we’ll finally be able to deal with DAN RATHER, CANDY CROWLEY, and all of the other animals that hide behind media cover and collude with the Democrats.

It is ABOUT TIME!


9 posted on 02/27/2016 10:06:07 AM PST by BobL (This is no longer a Policy Wonk election, it is a MOVEMENT. Vote for the hat!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dschapin

It’s called the First Amendment, Donny. It protects free political speech. #Trumpelthinskin


10 posted on 02/27/2016 10:06:08 AM PST by Charles Henrickson (Trump is the Republican Bill Clinton: same age, same ego, same morals.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dschapin

If Mark Steyn can be sued by the idiot “hockey stick” guy, why can’t WaPo or the NYT be sued for far worse?


11 posted on 02/27/2016 10:06:19 AM PST by ConservativeMind ("Humane" = "Don't pen up pets or eat meat, but allow infanticide, abortion, and euthanasia.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DrewsMum

He’ll never get any of this past Congress. He’s still thinking like a CEO.


12 posted on 02/27/2016 10:06:47 AM PST by Scutter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: dschapin
So Trump wants to do away with the 1st Amendment?

Watch his minions here agree with him.

13 posted on 02/27/2016 10:06:49 AM PST by PROCON
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dschapin

Say the following was written about you?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/donald-trump-isnt-todays-wendell-willkie-hes-todays-benito-mussolini/2015/12/08/77c81b0c-9ddc-11e5-a3c5-c77f2cc5a43c_story.html


14 posted on 02/27/2016 10:07:26 AM PST by Just mythoughts (Jesus said Luke 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Slyfox

good that only makes him stronger with the voters when the media comes after him full bore.... you evidently still don’t get his strategy..


15 posted on 02/27/2016 10:07:51 AM PST by Lib-Lickers 2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: ConservativeMind

Current law requires proof of malicious intent. If we strip that protection away then any controversial article could end up in court. Seriously some of you Trump supporters don’t seem to care if you kill not the Republican Party but America and our freedoms.


16 posted on 02/27/2016 10:07:51 AM PST by dschapin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Lib-Lickers 2

“...good that only makes him stronger with the voters when the media comes after him full bore.... you evidently still don’t get his strategy.”

GREAT POINT. It is a shot across the bow at the media to WATCH IT, as they know that the statue of limitations will NOT be expired by the time Trump takes office.


17 posted on 02/27/2016 10:09:24 AM PST by BobL (This is no longer a Policy Wonk election, it is a MOVEMENT. Vote for the hat!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: dschapin
Good. We should have Euro style laws where a wronged party BEFORE publication can get an injunction. All copies of paper or mag are sequestered until a trial. If libel, press has to destroy all copies AND pay plaintiff's legal bill. If no libel, plaintiff must pay all defendant's legal bills and the value of all printed stick with the story.

This prevents the BIG SLIME (followed by the p 10 small print retraction).

18 posted on 02/27/2016 10:09:30 AM PST by LS ("Castles Made of Sand, Fall in the Sea . . . Eventually" (Hendrix))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Just mythoughts

That is fair game in politics and has been ever since the beginning. If someone writes something that is unfair about you then you refute it. The only time that you can sue is that if someone has written something that is provably false and you can show that it was done with malicious intent. If you take those protections away then you radically chill free speech. This is serious stuff guys.


19 posted on 02/27/2016 10:10:26 AM PST by dschapin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: dschapin

There will be a special government department set up to approve all news stories. It will be called The Ministry of Truth.

Amazing what he gets away saying.
If Hillary said the same thing; there would be 18 threads here raising the (correct) alarm.


20 posted on 02/27/2016 10:10:42 AM PST by HereInTheHeartland (I don't want better government; I want much less of it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 221-234 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson