Just a few short weeks ago, the U.K. Daily Mail raised eyebrows across the world when it published an article containing racy pictures of potential future first lady Melania Trump along with allegations that she had been an “escort” or prostitute before meeting and marrying Donald Trump.
According to CNN, Melania Trump has now filed a lawsuit against the Daily Mail and a Maryland-based blog by Webster Griffin Tarpley, seeking $150 million in damages for their alleged false and defamatory statements regarding her background.
“These defendants made several statements about Mrs. Trump that are 100 percent false and tremendously damaging to her personal and professional reputation,” read a statement from attorney Charles Harder, who may be remembered for representing Hulk Hogan in his successful defamation lawsuit against Gawker.
“Defendants broadcast their lies to millions of people throughout the U.S. and the world — without any justification,” Harder continued. “Their many lies include, among others, that Mrs. Trump supposedly was an ‘escort’ in the 1990s before she met her husband.”
“Defendants’ actions are so egregious, malicious and harmful to Mrs. Trump that her damages are estimated at $150 million,” he added.
It is worth noting that mere hours after Trump first notified the two publications of the impending lawsuit, the stories in question were retracted and apologies issued, with the Daily Mail issuing a lengthy statement attempting to explain the thin line it had attempted to walk between merely reporting on a story first raised by Slovenian media and attempting to defame Trump with salacious allegations.
As to Trump’s employment history in the U.S. before meeting and marrying The Donald, Harder wrote in the lawsuit, “Plaintiff did legitimate and legal modeling work for legitimate business entities and did not work for any ‘gentleman’s club’ or ‘escort’ agencies.”
“Plaintiff was not a sex worker, escort or prostitute in any way, shape or form, nor did she ever have a composite or presentation card for the sex business,” he added.
It remained to be seen whether this defamation lawsuit filed by Melania Trump would be successful, but the fact that the publications in question immediately retracted their stories and issued public apologies lent some credence to Trump’s claim that the stories were false.
(via: Conservative Tribune)
