Justice Thomas Speaks Out Alone Against Landmark Supreme Court Ruling

The Supreme Court rejects an appeal from a former GOP presidential candidate.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal from Don Blankenship, a former coal company CEO who ran for president in 2020, after he argued that major news outlets defamed him, while Justice Clarence Thomas argued that a landmark defamation ruling should be revisited.

A lower court ruled against Mr. Blankenship, the former chief executive of Massey Energy, after he served a year in prison on a misdemeanor charge following a West Virginia coal mine explosion that left 29 people dead in 2010. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district courtโ€™s determination that CNN, Fox News, and 14 other outlets sued by the former CEO did not act with โ€œactual maliceโ€ amid coverage of his unsuccessful 2018 U.S. Senate campaign, even if they failed to meet journalistic standards.

The Supreme Court left that ruling intact on Tuesday. Justice Thomas, who agreed with the lower court ruling, called on the high court to overturn the landmark 1964 ruling in theย New York Times v. Sullivan.

That ruling established the “actual malice” standard, which found that if a plaintiff in a defamation lawsuit is a public official or a candidate for public office, they have to prove that a statement was made with “actual malice,” which means the defendant knew the statement was not true or had recklessly disregarded whether it might be false or not.

The Supreme Court had previously turned away Mr. Blankenshipโ€™s appeal of his misdemeanor conviction in connection to the 2010 mine explosion.

In a comment posted on social media last month, Mr. Blankenship that his “lawsuit seeks to overturn New York Times v. Sullivan, an infamous Court ruling which legalized the defamation of candidates for public office upon the request of current government officials to do so.”

“The point of the lawsuit is that the Press cannot be allowed to remain a Fourth Branch of government that spreads propaganda and hides government corruption,” heย wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We caught the government and the Press red-handed in a worse than Watergate scandal. We have provided the Court clear proof not only of defamation but also of election sabotage.”

In his petition to the Supreme Court, Mr. Blankenship took umbrage with how MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, and other outlets described him as a “felon” and said they defamed him. He was never charged or convicted of a felony, but instead, the former executive was convicted by a jury in 2015 of a federal conspiracy charge that was classified as a misdemeanor.

Byย Jack Phillips

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Columns

Viewers like you

There is no constitutional authority for any spending on public broadcasting โ€“ period. Any questions: See Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

Trans-wormal

No worm ever said "I am anthropomorphizing, I am a butterfly" to a toad or flock of geese and expected acknowledgement and support.

In Greenlandโ€™s Icy Capital, Past Troubles Haunt Hopes for the Future

As geopolitical realities and ongoing economic growth raise the stakes, U.S. interest in Greenland and the dream of independence may change things in a big way.

How a Chinese Government Statistician Was Forced to Report Fake Data

Chinese local govt employee produced a non-authorized report on bees and was visited by police and threatened with being sent to a mental hospital.

โ€˜This One Time, at Groomer Campโ€™

All Camp Brave Trails programs focus on helping LGBTQ+ youth find what they need most to thrive: their people, their place, and their passion.

News

White House Adviser Gives Update on DOGEโ€™s Future Amid Muskโ€“Trump Spat

A top White House adviser said DOGEโ€™s work will likely continue amid a spat between its former chief, Elon Musk, and President Donald Trump.

Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Allow Dismantling of Education Department

Trump admin asked Supreme Court to allow it to resume dismantling U.S. Dept of Education, following a lower courtโ€™s previous order halting process.

FTC Warns of Rising Student Loan Scams, Says Fraudsters Took Millions From Borrowers

FTC is warning borrowers to steer clear of student loan debt-relief scams, after shutting down group of companies that allegedly charged millions in illegal fees and left customers worse off.

Walmartโ€™s Drone Delivery Coming to 5 More US Cities

Walmart is set to launch its drone delivery service in five more U.S. cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando, and Tampa, the company.

Court Orders Trump Administration to Restore AmeriCorps Funding to States

Federal court ordered Trump admin to restore AmeriCorps funding to states. The ruling comes as part of a lawsuit filed by 24 states and DC.

Tax Deductions You Can Take Without Itemizing

Itโ€™s not always beneficial to itemize. With IRSโ€™s current standard deduction for 2025 most Americans who canโ€™t itemize go with standard deduction.

US Economy Adds 139,000 New Jobs in May, Topping Market Forecasts

U.S. economy added 139,000 new jobs last month, surpassing economistsโ€™ expectations and indicating U.S. labor market remains in a robust position.

Guatemalan Deportee Arrives in US After Judge Orders Trump Admin to Facilitate Return

โ€œAmericaโ€™s asylum system was never intended to be used as a de facto amnesty program or a catch-all, get-out-of-deportation-free card,โ€ McLaughlin said.
spot_img

Related Articles