Supreme Court To Review Libel Law

[grean]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/19/u...ent-libel.html

This will make Trump happy. However, will he come to regret what he wishes?

He tweets some pretty inflammatory statements about people that often have trouble withave the truth.

Papers will have to, as they rightly should, be more careful.

I don't think Trump has the self control. He will end up in hot water too.

[Revenant]

Originally Posted by grean

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/19/u...ent-libel.html

This will make Trump happy. However, will he come to regret what he wishes?

He tweets some pretty inflammatory statements about people that often have trouble withave the truth.

Papers will have to, as they rightly should, be more careful.

I don't think Trump has the self control. He will end up in hot water too.

They are not actually going to review it. At least not yet.

Thomas was only suggesting that the law after the Sullivan should be revisited.

But while Thomas may be correct about the state of libel law prior to 1964 and whether or not the First Amendment ever required the high standards set forth in Sullivan, I think the present state of 1st Amendment law should be left alone.

Too many rich people, including assholes like Trump, will make a sport of tormenting their critics in court. Trump is exactly the type of person that needs to be restricted by the Sullivan standard.

If you go back to the pre-Sullivan state of libel law, I think you will see, among other things, a big uptick in the number of SLAPP suits brought by rich assholes - especially developers - to stop criticisms of their pet projects by community residents.

There is no such thing as too much freedom. So, if a few celebrities or famous politicians getting slimed is the price of greater freedom of speech, so be it.