American politician and 2020 presidential candidate, Tulsi Gabbard, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Hillary Clinton, claiming she attempted to destroy her reputation by calling her a “Russian asset.”
The lawsuit states that Clinton suggested during an October 2019 interview that Gabbard was the favorite of the Russians. Gabbard says that her statements have no grounds in reality, and that Clinton should have known that.
Although Clinton didn’t specifically name Gabbard in her comments, she strongly implied that she was talking about her. The suit mentions that when asked if she was referring to Gabbard, Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill said, “If the nesting doll fits,” a reference to Russian dolls.
“She’s the favorite of the Russians, they have a bunch of sites and bots and other ways of supporting her so far, and that’s assuming Jill Stein will give it up, which she might not, because she’s also a Russian asset,” Clinton said.
“Yeah, she’s a Russian asset, I mean totally. They know they can’t win without a third-party candidate,” Clinton added.
“Once again, this is a clear attempt to try to intimidate and silence those like me who are speaking out — who are being critical of the policies that she has had — the legacy of war-mongering and taking our country into unnecessary, stupid, wasteful regime change wars,” Gabbard said.
“Speaking out against this foreign policy establishment is something that she clearly doesn’t like, which is why she is attempting to do all she can to try to smear my reputation and undermine my campaign,” Gabbard added.
Gabbard believes Clinton made the remarks because she carries hostility toward her stemming from when Gabbard supported Senator Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primary.
Gabbard said that Clinton’s remarks caused her to lose potential donors and voters with damages that exceed $100 million.
“If Hillary Clinton and her allies can successfully destroy my reputation — even though I’m a war veteran and a sitting member of Congress — then they can do it to anybody,” Gabbard said. “I will not allow this blatant effort to intimidate me and other patriotic Americans into silence go unchallenged.”
The lawsuit requests $100 million in damages.
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