Ruby Freeman & Wandrea’ Moss v. Gateway Pundit et al.
- August 25, 2022
October 7, 2024 Update: Plaintiffs Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Moss and Defendants James Hoft, Joseph Hoft, and TGP Communications, LLC have filed a verified joint notice of settlement and motion to vacate their trial date.
Ruby Freeman and Wandrea’ Moss served as election workers in Fulton County, Georgia during the 2020 election. The Gateway Pundit, along with its founding editor Jim Hoft, and contributor Joe Hoft, knowingly disseminated blatantly false stories claiming that Ms. Freeman and Ms. Moss were involved in a conspiracy to commit election fraud, and continued to publish these untruths long after they were proven to be false. The lies published about Ms. Freeman and Ms. Moss helped generate a torrent of online and offline abuse towards the women, who each remain fearful for their own safety. The Gateway Pundit has not retracted or corrected any of its false statements, and has continued to repeat them throughout 2021 and 2022. Its numerous articles boasting that it was the first publication to name Ms. Freeman and Ms. Moss as committing ballot fraud remain online.
In this litigation Law for Truth, a project of Protect Democracy, represents Ms. Freeman and Ms. Moss, in partnership with the law firms DuBose Miller LLC, Dowd Bennett LLP, Kastorf Law, LLC, and the Yale Law School’s Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic.
“This is the sort of lawsuit libel law was created to permit. The complaint depicts terribly wronged plaintiffs suing to restore their grievously harmed reputations from statements made with knowledge of their falsity. Not only does the First Amendment provide no protection for such statements, but this is precisely the situation in which libel litigation is most needed.”
Floyd Abrams, noted First Amendment advocate
Featured Press
Judge says far-right US news outlet filed bankruptcy in bad faith, The Guardian, July 25, 2024
Gateway Pundit files for bankruptcy after election conspiracy defamation lawsuits, KALW, April 24, 2024
Two Election Workers Targeted by Pro-Trump Media Sue for Defamation The New York Times, Dec. 2, 2021
Case Documents
Verified Joint Notice of Settlement Oct. 7, 2024 Verified Joint Notice of Settlement
Opinion and Order Granting Motion to Dismiss July 25, 2024 Opinion and Order Granting Motion to Dismiss
Reply in Support of the Motion to Dismiss June 25, 2024 Reply in Support of the Motion to Dismiss
Dr. Eric Coomer's Joinder to the Reply in Support of the Motion to Dismiss June 25, 2024 Dr. Eric Coomer's Joinder to the Reply in Support of the Motion to Dismiss
Joint Stipulated of Uncontested Facts June 25, 2024 Joint Stipulated of Uncontested Facts
Debtor's Response in Opposition of Motion to Dismiss June 20, 2024 Debtor's Response in Opposition of Motion to Dismiss
Dr. Eric Coomer's Joinder to the Motion to Dismiss June 8, 2024 Dr. Eric Coomer's Joinder to the Motion to Dismiss
Motion for an Order Dismissing the Debtor's Chapter 11 Case May 31, 2024 Motion for an Order Dismissing the Debtor's Chapter 11 Case
Suggestion of Bankruptcy April 25, 2024 Suggestion of Bankruptcy
Scheduling Order February 28, 2024 Scheduling Order
Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion to Dismiss Defendants' Counterclaim and Plaintiffs' Motion to Strike Defendants' Anti-SLAPP Motion July 24, 2023 Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion to Dismiss Defendants' Counterclaim and Plaintiffs' Motion to Strike Defendants' Anti-SLAPP Motion
Defendants' Opposition to Plaintiffs' Motion to Strike Defendants' Anti-SLAPP Motion July 11, 2023 Defendants' Opposition to Plaintiffs' Motion to Strike Defendants' Anti-SLAPP Motion
Defendants' Opposition to Plaintiffs' Motion to Dismiss Defendants' Counterclaim July 11, 2023 Defendants' Opposition to Plaintiffs' Motion to Dismiss Defendants' Counterclaim
Memorandum in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion to Strike Defendants' Anti-SLAPP Motion May 5, 2023 Memorandum in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion to Strike Defendants' Anti-SLAPP Motion
Plaintiffs' Motion to Strike Defendants' Anti-SLAPP Motion May 5, 2023 Plaintiffs' Motion to Strike Defendants' Anti-SLAPP Motion
Memorandum in Support of Defendants' Anti-SLAPP Motion Apr. 26, 2023 Memorandum in Support of Defendants' Anti-SLAPP Motion
Defendants' Anti-SLAPP Motion Apr. 26, 2023 Defendants' Anti-SLAPP Motion
Memorandum in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion to Dismiss Defendants' Improper Counterclaim Mar. 23, 2023 Memorandum in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion to Dismiss Defendants' Improper Counterclaim
Plaintiffs' Motion to Dismiss Defendants' Improper Counterclaim Mar. 23, 2023 Plaintiffs' Motion to Dismiss Defendants' Improper Counterclaim
Defendants' Answer to Plantiffs' Second Amended Petition and Counterclaims Jan. 16, 2023 Defendants' Answer to Plantiffs' Second Amended Petition and Counterclaims
Second Amended Petition Jan. 10, 2023 Second Amended Petition
Order Regarding Second Motion to Compel Discovery and for a Protective Order and Cross-motion for a Protective Order Dec. 20, 2022 Order Regarding Second Motion to Compel Discovery and for a Protective Order and Cross-motion for a Protective Order
Plaintiffs' Reply in Support of Their Second Motion to Compel Discovery and Opposition to Defendants' Cross-motion for a Protective Order Dec. 14, 2022 Plaintiffs' Reply in Support of Their Second Motion to Compel Discovery and Opposition to Defendants' Cross-motion for a Protective Order
Defendants' Opposition to Plaintiffs' Second Motion to Compel Discovery and for a Protective Order and Cross-motion for a Protective Order Dec. 13, 2022 Defendants' Opposition to Plaintiffs' Second Motion to Compel Discovery and for a Protective Order and Cross-motion for a Protective Order
Plaintiffs' Second Motion to Compel Discovery and for a Protective Order and Suggestions in Support Dec. 2, 2022 Plaintiffs' Second Motion to Compel Discovery and for a Protective Order and Suggestions in Support
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel Production of Documents and Answers to Interrogatories and Suggestions in Support Nov. 11, 2022 Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel Production of Documents and Answers to Interrogatories and Suggestions in Support
Plaintiffs' Suggestions in Support of Their Motion for Leave to Amend Petition Aug. 25, 2022 Plaintiffs' Suggestions in Support of Their Motion for Leave to Amend Petition
Plaintiffs' Motion for Leave to Amend Petition Aug. 25, 2022 Plaintiffs' Motion for Leave to Amend Petition
Order Granting Remand June 6, 2022 Order Granting Remand
Plaintiffs Ruby Freeman's and Wandrea' Moss's Reply in Support of Their Motion to Remand Jan. 18, 2022 Plaintiffs Ruby Freeman's and Wandrea' Moss's Reply in Support of Their Motion to Remand
First Amended Complaint Jan. 14, 2022 First Amended Complaint
Opposition to Motion to Remand Jan. 6, 2022 Opposition to Motion to Remand
Plaintiffs Ruby Freeman and Wandrea' Moss's Memorandum in Support of Their Motion to Remand Dec. 16, 2021 Plaintiffs Ruby Freeman and Wandrea' Moss's Memorandum in Support of Their Motion to Remand
Plaintiffs Ruby Freeman's and Wandrea' Moss's Motion to Remand Dec. 16, 2021 Plaintiffs Ruby Freeman's and Wandrea' Moss's Motion to Remand
Notice of Removal December 5, 2021 Notice of Removal
Petition Dec. 2, 2021 Petition
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