President-elect Donald Trump and his legal team have filed a lawsuit against renowned Iowa pollster Ann Selzer, her polling firm, The Des Moines Register, and parent company Gannett. The lawsuit alleges consumer fraud, claiming a poll published three days before the election showing Vice President Kamala Harris leading Trump by three points in Iowa was intentionally manipulated. Legal experts suggest that Trump’s claims are unlikely to succeed, as consumer fraud laws typically do not apply to news content. The lawsuit raises concerns about potential chilling effects on news outlets reporting critical stories about Trump.
Selzer, who has since announced her retirement, denies any wrongdoing and says she has seen nothing in the polling data that should have signaled incorrect results. Gannett stands by its reporting and states the lawsuit is without merit.
Trump’s lawyers claim the poll was deceptive and misleading, with the intent to influence the outcome of the election. They are seeking unspecified damages and an injunction against Selzer, The Register, and Gannett from publishing further deceptive polls.
Legal experts believe Trump’s legal argument is far-fetched and that publishing incorrect information is protected by the First Amendment. They warn that even if the case is dismissed, Trump’s lawsuits could have a chilling effect on news outlets, leading to self-censorship to avoid legal action. This escalation of legal battles against the press by Trump and his allies could have implications for freedom of the press going forward.
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