Former President Trump's lawsuit against The New York Times was dismissed by a New York Supreme Court judge on Wednesday.
Driving the news: Trump filed a $100 million lawsuit against the NYT and his niece Mary Trump in 2021 over the news outlet's 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting on his tax records, alleging "an insidious plot to obtain confidential and highly-sensitive records."
- However, New York Supreme Court Justice Robert Reed said Trump's claims "fail as a matter of constitutional law."
- Courts have "long recognized that reporters are entitled to engage in legal and ordinary news gathering activities without fear of tort liability" due to First Amendment protections, Reed said.
- In dismissing the complaint against the NYT, Reed ordered Trump to pay all legal fees associated with their case.
What's next: The judge has yet to rule on the case against Mary Trump.
What they're saying: "The New York Times is pleased with the judge's decision today. It is an important precedent reaffirming that the press is protected when it engages in routine newsgathering to obtain information of vital importance to the public," said NYT spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander in an emailed statement on Wednesday evening.
The other side: Alina Habba, an attorney for Trump, told AP on Wednesday night that the legal team "will weigh our client's options."
- "All journalists must be held accountable when they commit civil wrongs," she added in her email.
- "The New York Times is no different and its reporters went well beyond the conventional news gathering techniques permitted by the First Amendment."
- Representatives for the former president did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
