CNN has a problem. On Friday, Sept. 18, President Donald Trump announced he was banning the network, along with Politico and MS Now, from the White House “as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!”

Trump is not the only one taking issue. Azerbaijan is suing CNN in federal court for reporting allegations that Israel had used Azerbaijani territory for military and intelligence operations against Iran, charging that the network put Azerbaijani lives, diplomacy and national security at risk. CNN stands by its report, which cited only unnamed sources. Azerbaijan not only claims that the report was false, but that CNN was warned of the associated dangers prior to publication.

U.S. law has historically been highly permissive of the media and has shielded it in numerous court rulings. In City of Chicago v. Tribune Co., Chicago sued for what the city claimed were libelous reports that it was “broke” (therein harming its ability to raise money by issuing bonds). But the court found that “…it is better than an occasional individual or newspaper that is so perverted in judgment and so misguided in his or its civic duty should go free than that all of the citizens should be put in jeopardy of imprisonment or economic subjugation if they venture to criticize an inefficient or corrupt government.” The State of Louisiana’s later attempt to sue........

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