A federal appeals court has revived Project Veritas’ defamation lawsuit against CNN, finding that statements made by the network may have misrepresented the group’s 2021 suspension from Twitter. The decision could pave the way for a jury trial.
The case centers on comments by former CNN host Ana Cabrera, who told viewers that Project Veritas was suspended for “promoting disinformation.” The group contends that it was banned for publishing private information, a reason Twitter had cited at the time.
Project Veritas wins their defamation appeal against CNN where Ana Cabrera strongly implied they were banned from Twitter for misinformation which was false.https://t.co/LDUV8n5isR pic.twitter.com/UPuwRHep3B
— Adam Ruffin (@ruffinappeals) November 7, 2024
The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Project Veritas plausibly alleged actual malice by CNN, a legal standard requiring proof that the network either knowingly published false information or recklessly disregarded the truth. Circuit Judge Elizabeth Branch stated that the distinction between the two reasons is significant and that the term “disinformation” could cause greater reputational harm.
The lawsuit, originally dismissed in 2022 by US District Judge Steve Jones, will now return to the lower court for further proceedings. The appeals court’s decision marks a critical step forward for Project Veritas, which has long been a controversial figure in political and media circles.
Project Veritas has filed another lawsuit today — this time against @CNN for making false and defamatory statements with regard to Project Veritas Twitter account ban.#DeposeCNN https://t.co/TQUdwONrEh
— CPAC (@CPAC) April 27, 2021
Judge Ed Carnes supported the ruling, expressing disappointment in CNN’s approach. “I never thought I’d see a major news organization downplaying the importance of telling the truth in its broadcasts,” he wrote.
The 11th Circuit revived a lawsuit accusing CNN of defaming conservative group Project Veritas. The court said the group plausibly alleged a defamation claim after a CNN host suggested on air that the group's Twitter ban was for 'promoting disinformation' https://t.co/z7ot1SXy0x pic.twitter.com/kHCZKNpVIe
— Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) November 7, 2024
Project Veritas’ attorneys praised the decision, calling it a significant win for media accountability. CNN has declined to comment, and Cabrera, who now works at MSNBC, is not named as a defendant.
