Legal observers and analysts mocked a lawsuit filed by one of President Donald Trump's most controversial nominees on Monday, which alleges that Politico defamed him by publishing statements from anonymous sources about interactions between the nominee and some of his female colleagues.
Paul Ingrassia, who withdrew his name from contention to lead the Office of Special Counsel, was accused of sexually harassing a female colleague while working as a White House liaison to the Department of Homeland Security, Politico reported Oct. 9. Ingrassia's lawyers contend that the article contains multiple defamatory statements, a claim that legal analysts took issue with.
Ingrassia is seeking $150 million in damages, according to the lawsuit.
Legal observers and analysts shared their thoughts about the lawsuit on social media.
"Um, well, okay then," conservative George Conway of The Bulwark posted on X.
"Interestingly, one important thing about the law of defamation is that, to recover on a claim, you have to show damage to your reputation, which requires, at the very least, that you have a reputation that could somehow be damaged," Conway jabbed in another post.
"It's the Binnall Law Group who have repped Trump in some of his cases. So that tracks," Dan Izzo, an attorney who practices in Virginia and Washington, D.C., posted on Bluesky. "Jason Greaves is usually more competent than...this. But he's exactly the kind of person who'd rep Paul Ingrassia."
"Paul Ingrassia's lawsuit v Politico was filed in Warren County, VA. But Ingrassia lives in DC & Politico is based in Arlington County, VA. Unclear why he'd file the suit in Warren county but his argument is venue is proper because some of Ingrassia's friends live there," New York Times reporter Ken Bensinger posted on X.
"'The truth will finally come out' baby the truth came out and you STILL get to work at the White House COME ON," Blake Goodman, spokesperson for the National Council of Jewish Women, posted on X.
"Why not zillion????????" Molly Jong Fast posted on Bluesky about the amount of damages Ingrassia is seeking.