Former Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann said Kyle Rittenhouse should file a defamation lawsuit against liberal media in a Daily Mail op-ed published Tuesday.
Sandmann filed defamation lawsuits against CNN, The Washington Post and NBC Universal for their out-of-context portrayals of the then-16-year-old student appearing to mock a Native American man, Nathan Phillips, at the March for Life in 2019. His op-ed said he is currently involved with six lawsuits against media outlets related to the incident.
Sandmann criticized the liberal media’s “attacks” on Rittenhouse, an 18-year-old facing five felony charges for the shootings that killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, and injured Gaige Grosskreutz.
“They [the media] came quickly, without hesitation, because Kyle was an easy target that they could paint in the way they wanted to,” Sandmann wrote. “This is the problem with liberal media outlets in the United States. They want to get the story first, get the most views, make the most money, and advance the agenda from liberal patrons.”
“So every single label on Kyle as a ‘terrorist,’ ‘white supremacist,’ and ‘school shooter’ in the streets of Kenosha, will only ever be withdrawn after the damage has been done.”
KYLE RITTENHOUSE: An opinion I just wrote on the media, and the trial taking place in Kenosha:https://t.co/nJVHOK4Eo0
— Nicholas Sandmann (@N1ckSandmann) November 16, 2021
Sandmann said that defamation cases are difficult cases to settle since the plaintiff has to prove that the defendant published false information about them and that the information negatively impacted them. He argued that those defaming him could claim it to be their opinion and protected free speech.
He argued that despite the challenges and high chance of being unsuccessful, Rittenhouse should attempt to sue for defamation to “hold the media accountable.” (RELATED: Joy Reid Fumes Over ‘White Male Tears,’ Compares Rittenhouse To Brett Kavanaugh)
“So, if Kyle is prepared to take on another burden in his early life, with the acceptance that it might result in nothing, I answer, give it a shot and hold the media accountable,” Sandmann said.
The former Covington High School student defended Rittenhouse against “the character assignation” brought upon by President Joe Biden, NBA All-Star player LeBron James, and Democratic Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley. He said James’ tweet that mocked Rittenhouse for crying on the witness stand reflects the media’s “insensitivity and resentment.”
“Taking a life, for any reason, sticks with someone forever and yet the liberal elites would rather turn it into a joke for likes,” Sandmann said. “Not only does Kyle have to deal with that, but it is compounded with the overwhelming stress and trauma of the character assassination taking place against him.”
During his presidential bid, Biden suggested that Rittenhouse is a “white supremacist” in a video uploaded to Twitter in Sept. 2020. The video criticized former President Donald Trump for “refusing to disavow white supremacists” featuring a photo of the then-17-year-old holding an AR-15 style rifle on the evening of Aug. 25, 2020.