Court Dismisses Matt Taibbi's Libel Claim Against House Member Kamlager-Dove
A federal judge dismissed journalist Matt Taibbi's defamation lawsuit against Representative Kamlager-Dove over her statements calling him a "serial sexual harasser" during a congressional hearing and subsequent social media posts. Kamlager-Dove made the remarks while testifying against a hearing on the "censorship-industrial complex" where Taibbi was invited to testify. The court ruled that the statements were within the scope of her official duties as a member of Congress and therefore protected under the Westfall Act.
Judge Evelyn Padin of the District of New Jersey dismissed Taibbi's libel claim on Monday, finding that Representative Kamlager-Dove's statements—both her prepared remarks during an April 1, 2025 House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing and her subsequent republication of those remarks on X, BlueSky, and her official House.gov website—were made within the scope of her official employment as a member of Congress. Taibbi argued that the "serial sexual harasser" characterization was false and made with actual malice, and that republishing the statements on social media constituted partisan communication rather than official congressional work. However, the court determined that members of Congress routinely engage with constituents on social media as part of their official duties, and that Kamlager-Dove's remarks on taxpayer resources and foreign policy were central to her role as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee. Under the Westfall Act, the U.S. government is substituted as defendant when an employee acts within the scope of employment, effectively shielding the individual from personal liability.
What's missing
The article does not provide details about the specific allegations or evidence regarding the "serial sexual harasser" characterization, nor does it explain the underlying basis for Taibbi's claim that this statement was demonstrably false. Additionally, the full context of Taibbi's prior reporting or any prior incidents that may have prompted Kamlager-Dove's characterization is not included.
What different sources said
- ReasonRight
Author Matt Taibbi's Libel Claim Over House Member's Social Media Posts Dismissed
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