ACLJ Taking Landmark Case Against CNN to U.S. Supreme Court
The ACLJ just filed a landmark case against CNN at the U.S. Supreme Court after the news agency defamed Harvard Law School professor emeritus and famed constitutional lawyer Alan Dershowitz during his Senate oral arguments against the impeachment of President Trump. We have filed a petition for writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court on behalf of Professor Dershowitz in his critical defamation case against CNN.
This case presents the Court with an opportunity to reconsider whether the actual malice standard established in New York Times v. Sullivan remains consistent with the First Amendment’s original meaning and whether it adequately protects individuals’ reputational interests while preserving robust public debate.
When mainstream media outlets can falsely vilify, smear, and attack public figures with impunity, there is a fundamental problem in the law. This case represents far more than one man’s fight to clear his name – it’s a battle for truth, constitutional fidelity, and the fundamental right to seek justice when wronged.
Take action with the ACLJ as we hold CNN accountable, add your name to the petition: Make CNN Pay for Its Lies at the Supreme Court.
What Happened: CNN’s Systematic Distortion
On January 29, 2020, Professor Dershowitz – a distinguished Harvard Law School professor emeritus and practicing attorney – appeared on the Senate floor to defend the Constitution and establish why the Constitution would not authorize a conviction of President Trump. Professor Dershowitz served as part of a distinguished legal team, alongside White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, now-Attorney General Pam Bondi, Jordan, and myself, among others.
In response to a question from Senator Ted Cruz (TX), Professor Dershowitz delivered a carefully crafted constitutional analysis that made critical distinctions about what conduct could and could not constitute an impeachable offense.
Professor Dershowitz was crystal clear: Actions motivated by “personal pecuniary interest” – such as a President demanding a hotel with his name on it or a million-dollar kickback – would be “purely corrupt” and present “an easy case” for impeachment. This wasn’t a throwaway line. It was the central point of his constitutional argument.
CNN’s coverage, however, focused on portions of Professor Dershowitz’s statement while omitting his........
