Creator Michael Wolff filed a lawsuit within the New York Supreme Courtroom on Tuesday (October 21), accusing Melania Trump of utilizing a billion-dollar authorized risk to muzzle his reporting about her alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
NBC Information reviews the writer of “Fireplace and Fury” claims the First Girl’s authorized staff tried to strong-arm him into silence after he mentioned her supposed connection to the late financier and convicted intercourse offender throughout an interview with The Every day Beast.
That article, titled “Melania Trump’ Very Concerned’ in Epstein Scandal: Creator,” was later pulled with an apology from the outlet, which admitted the piece “didn’t meet our requirements.”
In keeping with the lawsuit, Melania’s lawyer, Alejandro Brito, issued a cease-and-desist letter demanding that Wolff retract his statements, apologize, and provide a monetary settlement. The letter additionally referenced Wolff’s feedback on the outlet’s podcast.
Wolff’s authorized submitting describes the risk as an try to suppress free speech. “Mrs. Trump’s claims are made for the only function of harassing, intimidating, punishing or in any other case maliciously inhibiting Mr. Wolff’s free train of speech,” the criticism reads.
Wolff, who has made a profession out of chronicling political drama, mentioned his phrases have been misrepresented and insists he by no means defamed Melania.
His attorneys argue the Trump camp is utilizing authorized threats to stifle public curiosity reporting on Epstein’s connections to influential figures.
Michael Wolff Desires To Depose Donald & Melania Trump Over Jeffrey Epstein Relationship
In a video posted to Instagram, Wolff didn’t maintain again, saying, “To be completely sincere, I’d like nothing higher than to get Donald Trump and Melania Trump beneath oath in entrance of a court docket reporter and truly discover out the entire particulars of their relationship with Epstein.”
Melania’s spokesperson responded with a pointy rebuke, saying she “is proud to proceed standing as much as those that unfold malicious and defamatory falsehoods as they desperately attempt to get undeserved consideration and cash from their illegal conduct.”
Wolff additionally claims he spent “many hours of interviews of Jeffrey Epstein over a number of years” and alleges the Trump household has tried to “impede and suppress” scrutiny into their ties to Epstein.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 whereas in federal custody, awaiting trial on intercourse trafficking costs. The Justice Division closed its investigation into the matter in July with out submitting new costs, although the case continues to gas hypothesis.
Neither Melania nor Donald Trump has been formally accused of wrongdoing in Epstein’s prison case.
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