Project Veritas has won a critical legal battle against CNN as a federal appeals court ruled Thursday to reinstate the group’s defamation lawsuit. The case involves claims that CNN falsely described why Project Veritas was banned from Twitter, now known as X.
Former CNN host Ana Cabrera told viewers in February 2021 that the suspension occurred due to the group “promoting disinformation.” Project Veritas disputes this, stating it was banned for publishing private information. The appeals court found that these explanations carry different implications and that CNN’s reporting may have harmed the group’s reputation.
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
The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals determined that Project Veritas had plausibly alleged that CNN acted with actual malice, meaning it knowingly aired false information or showed reckless disregard for the truth. Judge Elizabeth Branch, appointed by President Donald Trump, emphasized that viewers might see disinformation as more serious than publishing private data.
The case will now return to US District Judge Steve Jones, who dismissed the lawsuit in 2022, ruling that Cabrera’s statements were protected under defamation laws. The appeals court disagreed, stating the lawsuit raises questions that deserve to be examined further.
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 concurred with the decision and criticized CNN’s handling of the matter, saying the network’s actions reflected poorly on its commitment to truthfulness.
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 welcomed the ruling, calling it a victory for holding the media accountable. CNN has not commented, and Cabrera, who now works for MSNBC, is not a defendant in the case.
