President Donald Trump’s campaign lawyer threatened legal action against CNN in a letter Wednesday, accusing the network of violating multiple laws.
The letter, posted on Twitter Friday by Michael Glassner, chief operating officer for Donald J. Trump for President, cites recently-released Project Veritas footage that reportedly shows various employees expressing bias and the network’s intent to “take down President Trump,” it reads. The batch of videos from activist James O’Keefe’s watchdog group is the main focus of the letter sent to CNN by Trump attorney Charles Harder on behalf of the president.
“Recently released video footage of individuals alleged to be your employees…indicates that your reporting relating to President Trump is contrary to your own mission and the aforementioned Code of Ethics,” the letter reads. “Your own employees appear to state that CNN is focused on trying to ‘take down President Trump,’ driven by a ‘personal vendetta’ that Mr. Zucker purportedly has against him, rather than reporting the news in an objective manner.”
Project Veritas alleges that the undercover tapes it obtained show employees expressing that CNN President Jeff Zucker has anti-Trump views that violate journalism ethics. The letter was sent to CNN, Zucker and Executive Vice President David Vigilante. (RELATED: ‘It’s Violence’: Transgender Person Lashes Out At CNN Reporter For Mispronouncing Name)
Harder’s letter lists various alleged anti-Trump bias at the network and requests “a substantial payment of damages” as well as other unspecified “appropriate measures.” He alleges that the examples of bias noted in the letter are in violation of the Lanham Act “by constituting misrepresentations to the public, to your advertisers, and to others.”
This law prohibits false advertising and trade infringement.
Media is usually protected by the First Amendment, but the letter alleges that CNN is making false claims that it distributes “fair and balanced” news. It was sent overnight by mail and email Wednesday.
“This is nothing more than a desperate PR stunt and doesn’t merit a response,” CNN Vice President of communications Matt Dornic told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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