Media Freedom: Trump Steps Up Actions Against Press With Des Moines Register Lawsuit

By Committee to Protect Journalists Photos: YouTube Screenshots Washington, D.C., December 18, 2024–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns President-elect Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and Gannett, which was filed on Monday, for publishing a poll that showed him trailing Vice President Kamala Harris in the run-up to the November presidential election.  The lawsuit, which also includes pollster J. Ann Selzer and her polling firm, alleges that the poll amounted to “brazen election interference.” “The lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and Gannett is the latest in a series of legal attacks that President-elect Donald Trump has filed against media organizations,” said CPJ U.S., Canada, and Caribbean Program Coordinator Katherine Jacobsen. “Using the courts to go after political enemies and silence what he perceives as unflattering narratives is concerning behavior from the president-elect. Journalists and news organizations must be free to do their jobs and cover the news without constant fear of legal retaliation from those they are covering.” Trump has repeatedly stated that he intends to use the courts to go after those who he believes have wronged him, including journalists and media outlets. ABC News last week agreed to pay a $15 million settlement in a...