Title: Trump Promises Harsh Media Criticism of Him Will Be ILLEGAL If He’s President (TITLE IS FALSE HE DIDN'T ACTUALLY SAY THAT) Source:
Counter Current News URL Source:http://countercurrentnews.com/2016/ ... legal-if-he-becomes-president/ Published:Feb 27, 2016 Author:M. David Post Date:2016-02-27 11:46:16 by Deckard Keywords:None Views:14328 Comments:68
Have you ever made fun of Donald Trump? Have you ever read an editorial that really lays into him with criticisms of his proposed policies, or even his hair?
Well if Trump becomes president, he promises that things will change, and these sorts of critiques will no longer be legal.
It almost sounds like satire, but during a speech in Texas on Friday morning, the Republican candidate and frontrunner, Donald Trump said he wants to sue news outlets if they negative stories about him.
He acknowledged that currently the First Amendment of the Constitution protects a free press, and thus shields journalists from suits like this.
But Trump said on Friday that he would limit the press using litigation that would be permitted due to “opening up” libel laws and allowing them to include things like criticism and critiques that he doesn’t like.
“I think the media is among the most dishonest groups of people I’ve ever met,” Trump stated. “They’re terrible.”
So Trump promised to change things through legislating what he considers “honest reporting.”
“One of the things I’m gonna do, and this is only gonna make it tougher for me, and I’ve never said this before, but one of the things I’m gonna do if I win… is I’m gonna open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money. We’re gonna open up those libel laws.”
He went even further and made it clear what he meant, saying, “We’re gonna open up those libel laws, folks, and we’re gonna have people sue you like you never get sued before.”
The 1st Amendment (written to restrict Congressional legislation only) didn't created a preferred class for purposes of libel and slander. The New York Times has no greater 1st Amendment rights in that regard than Joe Sixpack.
"Cruz and Rubio would wind up penniless from their libels and slanders in this campaign alone."
In the age of the Internet there is no excuse to not know something. And if the press doesn't know, it shouldn't be published as fact. Just one example of what was reported in the press that Rubio gladly regurgitated:
If you hadnt inherited $200 million, youd be selling selling watches on the streets of Manhattan.
First, Fred Trump Sr. died in 1999. By then, Trump was already a billionaire. Second, when Fred Trump Sr. died, his estate was worth $20 million and that was divided among his 4 surviving children. Third, Trump admits that his father loaned him $1 million back in the 60's to start his business -- money which he paid back.
Good people have fought and died in wars to preserve this version of "freedom of the press"?