The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that Project Veritas can pursue its defamation lawsuit against CNN over statements made about the group’s 2021 suspension from Twitter, now known as X. The court’s decision reversed a prior ruling dismissing the case.
At issue are comments by then-CNN host Ana Cabrera, who told viewers that Project Veritas was suspended for “promoting disinformation.” The group contends the suspension was due to publishing private information, which it says is a critical distinction.
Project Veritas wins their defamation appeal against CNN where Ana Cabrera strongly implied they were banned from Twitter for misinformation which was false.https://t.co/LDUV8n5isR pic.twitter.com/UPuwRHep3B
— Adam Ruffin (@ruffinappeals) November 7, 2024
Circuit Judge Elizabeth Branch, appointed by President Donald Trump, noted that viewers might perceive disinformation as a more severe accusation, potentially causing greater harm to Project Veritas’ reputation. The court determined that the group sufficiently alleged actual malice on CNN’s part.
The lawsuit, initially dismissed in 2022 by US District Judge Steve Jones, will now return to the lower court for further proceedings. The appeals court’s decision suggests that CNN’s actions merit closer scrutiny.
Project Veritas has filed another lawsuit today — this time against @CNN for making false and defamatory statements with regard to Project Veritas Twitter account ban.#DeposeCNN https://t.co/TQUdwONrEh
— CPAC (@CPAC) April 27, 2021
Judge Ed Carnes supported the ruling and criticized CNN’s approach, stating, “I never thought I’d see a major news organization downplaying the importance of telling the truth in its broadcasts.”
The 11th Circuit revived a lawsuit accusing CNN of defaming conservative group Project Veritas. The court said the group plausibly alleged a defamation claim after a CNN host suggested on air that the group's Twitter ban was for 'promoting disinformation' https://t.co/z7ot1SXy0x pic.twitter.com/kHCZKNpVIe
— Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) November 7, 2024
Attorneys for Project Veritas praised the decision, saying it underscores the importance of media accountability. CNN has declined to comment, and Cabrera, now employed by MSNBC, is not named in the lawsuit.
