An ndependent journalist and podcaster has decided to take legal action against Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, accusing it of defamation.
The journalist alleges that the campaign falsely claimed he was advocating for a Donald Trump dictatorship. The lawsuit, filed by Tim Pool in a West Virginia federal court on Tuesday, centers around a post made by the Harris campaign on X (formerly Twitter) over the Labor Day weekend. Pool is seeking millions of dollars in compensation, citing damage to his reputation and the need to increase security in response to these accusations.
I have filed my lawsuit against @KamalaHQ
I will be going over the filing on the show at 8pm
Tim Pool Sues Kamala Harris For President, Defamation Lawsuit Filed w/Andrew Wilson | Timcast IRL https://t.co/NupCUdIiHn
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) September 17, 2024
At the heart of the lawsuit is the Harris campaign’s assertion that Pool backed “Project 2025,” a conservative initiative aimed at staffing the federal government with right-wing supporters if Trump were to return to the White House. According to the lawsuit, the Harris campaign’s post claimed Pool was promoting a plan to grant Trump “total, unchecked legal power” and that Pool supported the jailing and execution of those who oppose Trump.
Pool’s attorney, James Lawrence, condemned these accusations as false and damaging. “What the Harris campaign published was, and is, a lie,” Lawrence stated in the lawsuit. He made it clear that Pool has never advocated for extrajudicial killings or any lawless actions against political opponents. “The Harris Campaign did not hedge this statement or couch it as opinion,” Lawrence continued. “To any reasonable reader, the Harris campaign was saying that Mr. Pool wants to suspend the Constitution, make President Trump dictator, and use state power to imprison and kill his political opponents.”
The post, which has been viewed over 12 million times, has sparked controversy, and Pool claims that it has caused irreparable harm to his reputation and business. Lawrence highlighted that this damage would take millions of dollars to repair and that Pool has been forced to significantly ramp up his personal security as a result of potential threats sparked by the campaign’s accusations.
Pool’s lawsuit marks a bold step in challenging what he sees as a false narrative perpetuated by the Harris campaign. “To paraphrase President Biden, with this suit, Mr. Pool is stepping out of the shadow the Harris campaign cast over him while shining the light on falsehoods designed to defame and further inflame our political discourse,” the lawsuit reads. It emphasizes that Pool is committed to clearing his name and defending his reputation, stating that he “cannot – and will not – remain silent.”
Trump operatives say their Project 2025 plan is to give Trump total, unchecked legal power so they can jail and execute those who don’t support Trump if he wins
(They have since scrubbed this video from YouTube) pic.twitter.com/z6VVtthKr4
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 31, 2024