Judges say it's legal to make fun of Donald Trump
Trump reacts to judge's decision
A New Jersey Court of Appeals has ruled that it was alright for the author of a biography of Donald Trump to protect his sources in reporting that Trump is full of shit when he calls himself a billionaire. According to an Associated Press wire story, Trump sued author Timothy O’Brien and Time Warner Book Group (since renamed Grand Central Publishing) for reporting in his book TrumpNation: The Art of Being Donald, that the famously coiffed slum lord of the bourgeoisie “was worth between $150 million and $250 million.” The AP reports, “Trump says the book damaged his reputation and argues that his fortune was closer to $2.7 billion.” Numerous other publishers, as well as broadcasters other media organizations had joined the suit. The judges agreed with them all that “details of Trump’s life are matters of public interest and therefore are protected.”
Dennis Johnson is the founder of MobyLives, and the co-founder and co-publisher of Melville House.