Iowa Judge Dismisses Trump’s Lawsuit Against Des Moines Register and Pollster
The judge said the Register’s poll coverage was protected political speech, rejecting Trump’s consumer fraud claim over a 2024 Iowa election poll.
- On Wednesday, Iowa District Judge Scott Beattie dismissed a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against The Des Moines Register and pollster Ann Selzer over 2024 election coverage.
- In December 2024, Trump, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and Sen. Brad Zaun sued, alleging the Register's pre-election poll showed 47% for Vice President Kamala Harris versus 44% for Trump, misrepresenting the race.
- Beattie rejected the consumer fraud claim, siding with defendants who argued that polls and news coverage constitute constitutionally protected political speech, not commercial transactions.
- The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression represented Selzer in the litigation, while plaintiffs had alleged the poll coverage damaged their reputations and diverted campaign resources.
- Trump continues pursuing lawsuits against media organizations alleging bias, testing First Amendment boundaries, though some prior cases ended in settlements and this dismissal reinforces polling coverage protections.
175 Articles
175 Articles
Judge dismisses President Donald Trump's 2024 Iowa Poll lawsuit
An Iowa district court judge on Wednesday dismissed the lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump against the Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer for the 2024 Iowa Poll published shortly before the election. Trump filed the lawsuit against the Iowa newspaper; its parent company, Gannett Co., now renamed USA Today Co.; Selzer and […]
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Iowa judge dismisses Trump lawsuit over inaccurate 2024 elec
Iowa Judge Scott J. Beattie dismissed President Trump’s lawsuit over a badly missed 2024 election poll, finding that First Amendment protections defeated the fraud claims. Beattie dismissed the case with prejudice, which prevents Trump from filing it again. The Hill reported that Trump’s attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The dispute […]
A judge in Iowa dismissed Trump's claim against a newspaper and pollster for an unfavorable poll before the 2024 elections. The First Amendment protects polls as a public expression, according to Judge Beattie's ruling, rejecting the charge of "electoral interference."
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