[ExI] Justice Thomas ​wants the presadent to be able to sue for Libel

[Adrian Tymes]

On Wed, Feb 20, 2019 at 5:47 PM John Clark <johnkclark at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Wed, Feb 20, 2019 at 12:42 PM Adrian Tymes <atymes at gmail.com> wrote:
>> There have been blatantly false
>> allegations of specific politicians doing specific criminal activity
>> which have resulted in demonstrable harm.  Pizzagate, for example,
>
>
> I agree that was a grave injustice to Hillary Clinton, but I don't see how a libel trial would have helped her. Anyone dumb enough to believe in Pizzagate is unlikely to be convinced in her innocence by anything as trivial as the truth.

True, but if certain actors engaged in a consistent pattern of lying
to this end, they could at least be stopped and new lies put an end
to.  This would be used to stop things like Pizzagate from becoming
normal, at least.

> And besides putting somebody in jail because they bad mouthed a presidential candidate would set a very bad example because next time a sensational accusation against a candidate might turn out to be true.

The truth is an absolute defense against libel charges.

For now.  That, specifically, is what I'm wondering if Thomas wishes
to overturn, as it would need to be overturned in order to come
anywhere close to Trump successfully suing for libel most of those it
is indicated he wishes to so sue.

>> though Trump has alleged enough false things that it is at least
>> considerable that he should be sued for libel
>
>
> For a politician who lies with the incredible frequency that Trump does a impeachment trial would be far more effective for remedying that situation than a libel trial.

True, but with the Republicans in the Senate refusing to consider such
measures, which one is more likely to happen: an impeachment trial or
a libel trial?