Arpaio files libel suit against New York Times

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Tuesday evening filed a libel suit against The New York Times and a member of its editorial board, Politico reported.

Arpaio is seeking is seeking $147.5 million in damages over a Times op-ed by Michelle Cottle titled "Well, at Least Sheriff Joe Isn’t Going to Congress."

In a complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Arpaio says the piece contains "several false, defamatory factual assertions."

He claims the article was “carefully and maliciously calculated to damage and injure” his reputation, Politico reported.


Cottle in the piece says Arpaio's 24-year run as sheriff was "medieval in its brutality," accusing him of "terrorizing immigrant neighborhoods with gratuitous raids and traffic stops and detentions."

All of the accounts in Cottle's piece have been previously reported, including stories about prisoners in jails overseen by Arpaio being beaten, mistreated and forced into humiliating circumstances.

Arpaio, who called himself "America's toughest sheriff," was convicted for criminal contempt by a federal court in 2017. President Trump pardoned him before he could be sentenced.

Arpaio then ran an unsuccessful bid for Senate in Arizona. He was beat out by Republican Martha McSally.

https://thehill.com/media/411780-arpaio-files-libel-suit-against-new-york-times

[BlueStater]

1. Joe, take a page from your buddy Dennis Hof and die, willya?

[JI7]

8. +

[Initech]

2. Fuck you Joe, the people have spoken.

And you ain't going to Congress. Now GTFO.

[lpbk2713]

3. He's going up against the NYT.

I hope he loses his ass in legal fees.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Ha, good luck with that lawsuit!

It wouldn't be the NY Times' first rodeo - they won the landmark case of NY Times v. Sullivan, one of the key First Amendment decisions. If the plaintiff in a defamation case is a public figure or public official they have to prove that the publisher of the statement knew that it was false or that they published with reckless disregard of its truth or falsity. Public officials hardly ever win defamation cases.

[shenmue]

5. Have fun losing, asshole!

[chillfactor]

6. what a piece of SHIT.....

Arpaio's reputation was ruined by no one but himself. Hope the NYT rubs his ass into the ground.

[Gothmog]

7. How can one damage a reputation that is already in the sewer?

Sheriff Joe can not sue for damage to his reputation when that reputation is already damaged beyond repair

[DFW]

9. Republicans don't like facts about them being reported

Facts make them look bad. They prefer Fox to facts.

[MyOwnPeace]

10. But wait!

He was pardoned - remember?
That makes him a good guy again!

[Haggis for Breakfast]

11. He's just desperate for an income source.

And the price tag . . . $147m. Who on earth thinks he's worth that ?

[gratuitous]

13. He needs to leave something to his family besides a noxious stink

I don't know what attorney would take this case, but I hope they like losing.

[spanone]

12. Joe, you've created enough misery in your pathetic time on earth....go away

[OhioBlue]

14. I thought this was going to be about him attending a party at a brothel where a

Republican candidate died.

[Olafjoy]

15. My friend's daughter

Waited on him at IHOP and he was exactly like you would imagine. Mean, rude, and very very cheap.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

16. Isn't truth

a defense? Sounds like a true recounting of his life.

[RockRaven]

17. GTFO you butthurt old man

take your sorry senile ass elsewhere

[Takket]

18. LOL

The speed at which this is dismissed will prove that Einstein was wrong when he said the speed of light was the speed limit of the universe.