Trump Sues Des Moines Register Over Election Poll
Trump Sues Iowa Newspaper Over Pre-Election Poll, Citing “Election Interference”
Des Moines, Iowa – President-elect Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the Des Moines Register, its parent company, and renowned pollster J. Ann Selzer, alleging “brazen election interference” stemming from a pre-election poll that predicted a Kamala Harris victory in Iowa.
The lawsuit, filed in Polk County on Monday, comes fresh off Trump’s victory in a defamation case against ABC News, where the network agreed to a $15 million settlement. This latest legal action underscores Trump’s ongoing contentious relationship with the American press,a dynamic expected to continue into his second term.
The Des Moines Register poll, published on November 2nd, just days before the 2024 presidential election, suggested Harris would win Iowa, a traditionally Republican stronghold. Trump, who ultimately won the state by a important margin, denounced the poll as fraudulent and an attempt to sway voters.
“In my opinion, it was fraud and it was election interference,” Trump declared during a monday press conference, where he also labeled the press “corrupt.” ”I feel I have to do this,” he added, referring to the lawsuit. “It costs a lot of money to do it but we have to straighten out the press.”
The lawsuit alleges that Selzer intentionally manipulated the poll results to favor Harris, accusing “left-wing pollsters” of generally distorting data and deviating from accepted polling methodologies. However, the filing does not provide specific evidence to support these claims.
The Des Moines Register maintains that it has been transparent about its polling methods, releasing detailed demographic data, crosstabs, and a technical clarification from Selzer.
“We stand by our reporting on the matter and believe a lawsuit would be without merit,” Lark-Marie Anton, a spokesperson for the Des Moines Register, stated in a statement to CBS News.
Media advocacy groups have expressed concern over the potential chilling effect of Trump’s lawsuit on press freedom. Seth Stern, advocacy director for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, warned that such actions could create an environment where journalists fear reprisal for their reporting.
This lawsuit follows a pattern of Trump targeting media outlets he perceives as critical. The recent settlement with ABC News, where the network retracted a false statement about Trump being found liable for rape, highlights the president-elect’s willingness to pursue legal action against media organizations.
The outcome of the Des Moines Register lawsuit remains to be seen, but it is sure to further inflame the already tense relationship between the incoming management and the press.
Trump’s War on the press: Is a Lawsuit Against Iowa Newspaper a Step Too Far?
Des Moines,Iowa – The ink is barely dry on president-elect donald Trump’s recent defamation victory against ABC News,and he’s already firing another legal salvo,this time targeting the Des Moines Register and renowned pollster J. Ann Selzer. The reason? A pre-election poll predicting a Kamala Harris win in Iowa,a traditionally Republican stronghold.
trump, who ultimately triumphed in the state, has denounced the poll as fraudulent and a deliberate attempt to sway voters. “In my opinion,it was fraud and it was election interference,” he declared during a Monday press conference,labeling the press “corrupt” and vowing to “straighten out the press,” even if it costs him financially.
The lawsuit alleges that Selzer intentionally manipulated the poll results to favor Harris, accusing “left-wing pollsters” of generally distorting data and deviating from accepted polling methodologies.However, the filing lacks concrete evidence to support these claims.
The Des Moines Register vehemently defends its polling methods, emphasizing the transparency of its process by releasing detailed demographic data, crosstabs, and a technical clarification from Selzer. Spokesperson Lark-Marie Anton asserted, “We stand by our reporting on the matter and believe a lawsuit would be without merit.”
This latest legal action further escalates Trump’s ongoing and contentious relationship with the American press, a dynamic that shows no signs of abating as he embarks on his second term. Media advocacy groups are sounding the alarm, expressing concern over the potential chilling effect of Trump’s lawsuit on press freedom.
Seth Stern,advocacy director for the Freedom of the press foundation,warns that such actions could create an environment where journalists self-censor,fearing reprisal for their reporting.
This lawsuit against the Des Moines Register follows a pattern of Trump using litigation as a weapon against media outlets he perceives as critical. The recent settlement with ABC News, where the network retracted a false statement and agreed to a $15 million payout, underlines his willingness to pursue legal action.
The outcome of the Des Moines Register lawsuit remains uncertain, but it undoubtedly throws fuel on the already fiery relationship between the incoming governance and the press, raising serious questions about the future of a free and self-reliant media in the United States.