Judge Tosses Wolff Suit, Clearing Path For $1B Melania Claim
A federal judge has thrown out journalist Michael Wolff’s lawsuit against First Lady Melania Trump, branding it a ‘contorted’ attempt at legal overreach that has no place in court.
- Manhattan Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil dismissed the case, calling it ‘inappropriate tactical gamesmanship’
- Wolff had sued Melania over claims she said caused ‘overwhelming reputational and financial harm’
- The Daily Beast previously retracted an article linking the First Lady to the Epstein scandal
- Melania’s legal team argued the lawsuit was an attempt to extract ‘unjustified payments’
- GOP lawmakers have backed the First Lady’s stance on protecting victims
Judge Brands Case ‘Contorted’
Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, a Trump appointee, wasted no time dismissing Wolff’s federal complaint. ‘It’s an inappropriate level of tactical gamesmanship,’ the Manhattan judge declared from the bench.
She refused to let federal courts become a battleground for what she termed an ‘abusively presented spat.’ Though Vyskocil acknowledged both parties had a ‘real dispute,’ she declined to exercise the court’s jurisdiction.
The Original Claims
Wolff had accused Melania Trump of spreading false information and causing damage to his reputation. His lawsuit suggested the President and First Lady ‘have made a practice of threatening those who speak against them’ with costly legal action.
However, Wolff’s own filing contradicted itself-admitting he ‘never accused the first lady of being involved with criminal activity’ linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
Media Retreat
The Daily Beast retracted an explosive article last summer titled ‘Melania Trump