Melania Trump Settles Libel Lawsuit With Blogger

[DonViejo]

Source: The Daily Beast



First lady Melania Trump has settled a libel lawsuit with a blogger who wrote last year about rumors that Trump was at one point an “escort.” The Maryland blogger, Webster Tarpley, 71, retracted the post and issued a public apology for what he described as a piece “replete with false and defamatory statements” about the first lady. “I had no legitimate factual basis to make these false statements and I fully retract them,” he said. Tarpley apologized and paid Trump “a substantial sum.” The statement continues: “I acknowledge that these false statements were very harmful and hurtful to Mrs. Trump and her family, and therefore I sincerely apologize to Mrs. Trump, her son, her husband and her parents for making these false statements.”

READ IT AT THE WASHINGTON POST

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Read more: http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2017/02/07/melania-trump-settles-libel-lawsuit-with-blogger.html?via=desktop&source=copyurl

[2naSalit]

1. That's too bad.

She should have to face reality instead.

[Ligyron]

2. I'm sure the suit was totally her idea .Pfttt

Being a public figure is not a bed of roses all the time.

[Merlot]

3. The apology wasn't enough - they had to pay a "substantial sum"

Because drumpts need the money and blogging pays so well.

Silly blogger, all he had to do was say "some people are saying" and he would have been in the clear.

[Tanuki]

4. This kerfuffle reminds me of an exchange in the musical Evita,

when Eva Peron's reception during her European tour is not quite what she had hoped:

Evita: : Did you hear that? They called me a whore! They actually called me a whore!
Italian Admiral: But, Señora Perón, it's an easy mistake. I'm still called an admiral, though I gave up the sea long ago.

[Marthe48]

12. hahahahaha

perfect!

[ProudLib72]

5. Melanoma gets no sympathy from me

She is evil. Anyone who sticks up for her on the basis of her gender (as some here on DU have) are sexist enablers.

[rurallib]

6. So can the Michelle Obama go after all the shit that was written about her?

especially from the craptoid Breitbart staff?

ETA - that would be karmic

[George II]

10. She's too classy and mature to do that.

[SunSeeker]

16. Indeed. The contrast is stark.

[NCjack]

21. Damn! Melania is showing way too much shoulders. Has she no decency? nt

[bucolic_frolic]

7. Not in re: this settled case

but how does a false statement differ from #fakenews?

Inquiring minds would like to know, need to know

[msanthrope]

8. I'm betting Tarpley didn't pay a dime. Melania's lawyers are getting

backlash over her grifting damages claim.

[George II]

9. How did donald meet her?

She's only with him because of the money. What does that mean?

[Cryptoad]

11. a whore by any other name,,,,,,, nt

[kskiska]

27. They met at the "Kit Kat Klub."

That says it all.

[George II]

32. Not the "pussycat club"?

[hamsterjill]

13. Fearmongering at its best

Make no mistake. This is a signal for anyone who might say something negative about Melania. It's a fear tactic to keep journalists, individuals, etc. from writing about her.

It's the case of the rich jackass with lawyers out the wazoo going after some small time blogger.

It's sickening.

[SunSeeker]

14. Where in the world did this blogger get the idea that Melania was an "escort"?

[NurseJackie]

17. Disgusting Tramp.

[SunSeeker]

18. That's an insult to Tramps.

Tramps don't take money. Melania didn't give her "love" for free.

[starshine00]

25. lol

honestly I have no problem with professionals, but it irks me she's denying it.

[Bengus81]

15. Seriously??? FOX Entertainment says shit like that everyday--and Pillboy on his show.

Or maybe the Clinton's DID murder Vince Foster.....

[50 Shades Of Blue]

19. That was a given!

[NurseJackie]

20. That Happy-to-Frowning video of Melania ALMOST had me feeling sorry for her...

... but it's pretty obvious she knew what she signed up for.

I know one thing, she's no First Lady. She no "lady" at all... and she's Trump's THIRD... and we're spending a MILLION DOLLARS A DAY on her security detail so she can live in her New York apartment and go shopping? And even though she's living in NY, she STILL wants to remodel and redecorate the living quarters of the WH??!! WTF?!! Seriously, WTF??!!

The ACTUAL First Ladies of my lifetime have used their position for the public good, NOT to line their own pockets.

Everything about her is fake. Fake fake fake! Her cantaloupe tits. Her hairless prepubescent look. Her dental veneers. Her oversized cheek implants (that's why she "squints" you know?). Her hair extensions. Her tattooed eyebrows and eye liner. Her injected and over-plump lips. Her eye-lift. Her botoxed brow. Her pinned hears. Her butt-lift. No wonder she needs an entire TEAM to get this human-size Barbie doll ready to go out in public.

[virgogal]

22. A millon dollars a day on her security in NYC sounds a tad high.

Where did you hear that?

[NurseJackie]

23. On the fake news network.

[otohara]

24. Wait You Mean Obama Wasn't Born in Kenya

we've been waiting for an apology from your so-called husband Mrs. Trump #3

[unblock]

26. chances are real good that the "substantial sum" was $1.

or damn close to it.

otherwise why settle? the statement was everything the plaintiff could have wanted. very valuable for the chilling effect on other critics.

the actual money that the defendant could have mustered wouldn't matter to the plaintiff, and if it was a consequential amount, they would have made it known for a further chilling effect.

so i'm guessing the amount is $1, or very close to it.

[Crash2Parties]

28. Damages claimed: that she couldn't profit off being the First Lady

[Fast Walker 52]

30. that's freaking nuts

should have been laughed out of court

[Fast Walker 52]

29. weird to call Webster Tarpley a blogger... he's more of an author and conspiracy theorist

he's done some good work, wrote an authoritative book on Bush Sr.

Also, not clear why Tarpley is taking the fall for this, when these charges have been all over the place.

[Brother Buzz]

31. I'm willing to believe Tarpley signed a boilerplate bullet-proof non disclosure agreement (NDA)

to make this mess go away, and NO money exchanged hands.

[3catwoman3]

33. There are a variety of words applicable to those...

...who make their bodies availbale for a price. I don't think it matters all that much whether it is IRL or in photos/videos. "We have established what you are, madam. We are now merely haggling over the price."

I don't really care that she did so.

I care very much that this fill-in-the-blank is the so-called First Lady.

I call her the 3W - 3rd woman/wife

[Justice]

34. Why would 71 year old man issue such an apology and pay money?

Bet he was paid money to give apology. Frankly text of that apology worth far more to Melania than any cash.