Sep 10, 2019 - Economy

Conservative network hits Rachel Maddow and NBC with defamation lawsuit

Rebecca Falconer

Political commentator, Rachel Maddow during an interview on December 21, 2016 — MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. Photo: Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

One America News network (OAN) filed a $10 million lawsuit in the Southern District of California Monday alleging MSNBC host Rachel Maddow defamed the conservative company by saying it "really literally is paid Russian propaganda."

Details: The lawsuit claims that Maddow knew the statement was false and that it was made in order to damage OAN because of its support of President Trump, and that counsel for NBC Universal said Maddow was using "literally" in a figurative sense when the conservative company asked for a retraction.

Maddow's July 22 segment was based on the Daily Beast article, titled "Trump’s New Favorite Channel Employs Kremlin-Paid Journalist," which reports that an OAN correspondent has "been simultaneously writing for Sputnik, a Kremlin-owned news wire that played a role in Russia’s 2016 election-interference operation."

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Conservative network hits Rachel Maddow and NBC with defamation lawsuit

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