Georgia poll workers sue Giuliani, One America News

By Nathan Layne | Reuters

Two Georgia predetermination workers who were the people of vote-rigging conspiracy theories person sued the far-right One America News Network, its apical executives, and erstwhile President Donald Trump’s ex-lawyer Rudy Giuliani for allegedly spreading lies astir them.

The defamation suit was filed connected Thursday successful national tribunal successful Washington, D.C., by Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, a elector registration serviceman successful Fulton County, and her mother, Ruby Freeman, who was a temp idiosyncratic for the 2020 election.

The suit targets San Diego-based Herring Networks, which owns and operates One America News Network https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-oneamerica-att, arsenic good arsenic the channel’s main enforcement Robert Herring, president Charles Herring, and newsman Chanel Rion.

Giuliani, Trump’s erstwhile idiosyncratic lawyer, was besides named arsenic a defendant. Giuliani has often appeared connected OAN’s programs and has been 1 of the biggest promoters of Trump’s mendacious claims that elector fraud outgo him the 2020 election.

The ailment alleges that OAN broadcast stories successful which Moss and Freeman were falsely accused of conspiring to nutrient concealed batches of amerciable ballots and moving them done voting machines to assistance then-candidate Joe Biden decision Trump.

There is nary grounds to enactment specified claims, which person been repeatedly debunked by Georgia predetermination officials.

In a little interview, OAN main enforcement Robert Herring Sr. told Reuters helium was not acrophobic astir the suit and that his web had done thing wrong.

“I cognize each astir it and I’m laughing,” helium said of the lawsuit. “I’m laughing astir the 4 oregon 5 others who are suing me. Eventually, it volition crook connected them and spell the different way.”

Charles Herring, Rion and Giuliani did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

The defamation suit is the 2nd filed this period by Moss and Freeman, who besides sued the Gateway Pundit, alleging the far-right website’s unfounded reports incited months of decease threats and harassment against them.

The Gateway Pundit did not instantly respond to an email sent done its website seeking comment.

In summation to removing the reports astir Freeman and Moss from OAN’s websites and different media channels, the suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages.

The OAN and Gateway Pundit lawsuits some revolve astir mendacious allegations archetypal raised by a unpaid Trump run lawyer astatine a Dec. 3 proceeding of Georgia authorities legislators. Freeman and Moss worked successful heavy Democratic Fulton County, which includes Atlanta, wherever a beardown showing by Biden helped springiness the Democrat a constrictive Georgia victory.

Trump, a Republican, and his surrogates utilized surveillance video of the ballot number astatine State Farm Arena to falsely impeach Freeman and Moss of processing “suitcases” afloat of fake ballots for Biden precocious astatine nighttime connected Election Day, Nov. 3, 2020, aft astir canvass workers and predetermination observers left.

According to the complaint, Giuliani past “amplified the video by posting astir it connected societal media,” portion “OAN, its hosts, and its staff” took Giuliani’s assertions and “published them to millions of its viewers and readers.”

State officials including Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger rapidly and forcefully denied the allegations, explaining that the “suitcases” were modular ballot containers and the votes were decently counted nether the ticker of an autarkic show and a authorities investigator.

Giuliani has falsely claimed that the video footage showed the 2 women engaging successful “surreptitious amerciable activity” and acting suspiciously, similar cause dealers “passing retired dope.”

In aboriginal January, Trump himself singled retired Freeman, by name, 18 times successful a telephone telephone successful which helium pressed Georgia officials to change the state’s results. He described Freeman arsenic a “known governmental operative” who “stuffed the ballot boxes.”