Title: As Prez, Trump Promises To "Open Up Libel Laws" to Sue for "purposely negative and horrible" news articles Source:
. URL Source:http://libertyfight.com/2016/trump-libel-laws-clergy-endorse.html Published:Feb 26, 2016 Author:. Post Date:2016-02-26 19:33:52 by Artisan Keywords:None Views:102 Comments:9
Trump's Top Two Surprise Goals: Make It Easier For Politicians To Sue Media, and Allow Churches To Endorse Candidates
In Fort Worth TX today, Donald Trump welcomed an evangelical minister on to the stage and explained how one of his first goals if elected president would be to allow clergymen to endorse political candidates without having to worry risking their tax-exempt status. "We're gonna have the strongest Christian lobby," Trump promised. He also delivered a scathing rebuke of the New York Times, and said that he would seek a change in libel laws for negative news stories. He began by criticizing the New York Times and Washington Post, saying that the NYT is "the worst - the worst. They have an agenda that you wouldn't believe." [go to minute :30 in the video below.]
He continued, "I gotta tell you we've got a different country than we used to have.. and believe me, if I become president, oh do they have problems. They're gonna have such problems."
"And one of the things I' gonna do - and this is only gonna make it tougher for me, and I've never said this before - but one of things I;m gonna do if I win, and I hope I do, and we're certainly leading- is I'm gonna open up our libel laws, so when they write (pointing out at media) purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money. We're gonna open up those libel laws. So that when the New York Times writes a hit piece which is a total disgrace, or when the Washington Post, which is there for other reasons, writes a hit piece, we can sue them and win money instead of having no chance of winning, because they're totally protected. You see, with me they're not protected because I'm not like other people but I'm not taking money. I'm not taking their money. So we're gonna open up those libel laws, folks. And we're gonna have people sue you like you never got sued before."
Towards the end of his speech, an emotional Protestant reverend came on to the stage to sing Trump's praises.
Trump continued, "The American dream is dead, but we're gonna make it bigger stronger, better than ever before.
We're gonna have the strongest Christian lobby and it's gonna happen. I'm gonna work like hell to get rid of that prohibition" (of clergy endorsing candidates.)
Just because you're a public figure, should not mean that you're crucified on a cross of lies without recourse.
Don't you think that the myriad of libel laws (along with case law and countless USSC rulings) currently on the books is wholly adequate? This seems to be an already long established issue. The only thing he is promising is to sign laws that favor the state. I don't even think congress would even support such a thing. they'd be struck down immediately anyway.
"In American political discourse, states' rights refers to political powers reserved for the U.S. state governments rather than the federal government according to the United States Constitution, reflecting especially the enumerated powers of Congress and the Tenth Amendment. The enumerated powers that are listed in the Constitution include exclusive federal powers, as well as concurrent powers that are shared with the states, and all of those powers are contrasted with the reserved powers—also called states' rights—that only the states possess."
State's Rights has been an issue since before the American Civil War.
When I said he was advocating passing laws which favor "the state", that wasn't referring to Donald favoring states right. Favor the state is an expression to mean favor the govt.