The Lead

EXCLUSIVE: Defamation Judge Says He Has ‘Hard Time Believing’ Tapper
CNN was just handed a slew of legal defeats in the $1 billion defamation case against them. On Monday, Judge William Scott Henry of Florida’s 14th Circuit Court sided with Plaintiff and Navy veteran Zachary Young on multiple motions against CNN, including compelling them to turn over their journalistic conduct guidelines, compelling them to comply with turning over documents necessary for…

Abbott Educates Tapper About Walz's Abortion Radicalism
The only things certain in life are death, taxes, and the media trying to fact-check Republican claims that Democrats are the real radicals on abortion. Unfortunately for CNN’s Jake Tapper, Vice President Kamala Harris picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was there on Wednesday’s edition of The Lead to educate him on just how radical Walz…

CNN's Tapper Show Hypes Attacks on Vance by Taylor Swift Fans, Aniston
On Thursday, as CNN shows hyped actress Jennifer Aniston complaining about J.D. Vance quipping that liberals are mostly "childless cat ladies," afternoon host Jake Tapper went so far as to have on reporter Elizabeth Wagmeister to read her "favorite" clapbacks by Taylor Swift fans.

CNN Desperately Tries to Make Harris Hip to Gen Z, But She Is NOT Brat
With a greater division in the understandings of each generation, politics has been caught in the very real question of how to appeal to all audiences, how to do this without isolating one, and especially without ostracizing another. This issue was demonstrated perfectly in the Monday afternoon segment of CNN’s The Lead, as host Jake Tapper and his fellow co-hosts attempted to dissect…

EXCLUSIVE: CNNer Admits No Evidence of Crime in Defamation Deposition
The drip, drip, drip of developments from the $1 billion defamation suit against CNN has been steady. In addition to reporting on CNN attempting to block host Jake Tapper from being deposed as part of the proceedings, NewsBusters has exclusively obtained an unredacted transcript from the deposition of CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt connected to the case. NewsBusters has also obtained an…

CNN Attempting to Block Tapper Deposition -- and Destroying Evidence?
Overshadowed by the Republican National Convention last week, CNN’s lawyers filed a motion for a protective order that aimed to block network host Jake Tapper from being deposed as part of the $1 billion defamation suit against the network. It was the second time Tapper was requested for deposition and the second time CNN put up resistance, this time more aggressively.

‘Jackass With a Microphone’: Experts React to CNN Sued for Defamation
The dam appears to have broken after NewsBusters took the lead in recent days to put a spotlight on the massive defamation suit against CNN that could possibly cost them upwards of $1 billion. Along with the increased notoriety of the case, so has followed public awareness and expert analysis. NewsBusters has sought out expert opinions on how CNN had allegedly harmed plaintiff, security…

Do They Know ‘What Words Mean?’ Judge Grills CNN in Defamation Hearing
Earlier this week, NewsBusters was the first to report that the defamation suit against CNN could cost the network upwards of $1 billion. The possible cumulative damages were able to be that high because a Florida appeals court affirmed that plaintiff, security contractor, and Navy veteran Zachary Young was able to prove malice on behalf of CNN. And what few have seen, was the video from…

NewsBusters Podcast: CNN's Profane Malice Erupts on Jake Tapper's Show
Nick Fondacaro broke a story on how debate moderator Jake Tapper's show aired a nasty hit piece that spurred a defamation lawsuit from a man working to evacuate people out of Afghanistan. Internal messages show profane malice from reporter Alex Marquardt and others. It's no one's idea of idealistic investigative journalism. It sounds like Gotcha journalism.

CNN Could Be Forced to Pay Upwards of $1 Billion from Defamation Suit
The case may not be as well known (yet), but CNN could be facing a defamation liability rivaling or exceeding the $787 million Fox News paid out to Dominion Voting Systems. NewsBusters recently reported on Florida’s First District Court of Appeals affirming that plaintiff Zachery Young could seek punitive damages, in addition to economic and emotional damages, from the Cable News Network in a…

CNN Presidential Debate Moderator Is at the Center of Defamation Suit
On Wednesday, three judges with the First District Court of Appeal for the State of Florida ruled that Plaintiff Zachary Young had sufficiently provided enough evidence to the court that they could proceed with his defamation suit against CNN for punitive damages. The network allegedly, knowingly lied about his security consulting company and their work amid President Biden’s disastrous…

Dale Claims Soros Is a 'Target Of Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theories'
After former President Donald Trump gave some remarks to reporters assembled outside of his New York trial on Tuesday, CNN’s host of The Lead, Jake Tapper, brought on the network’s resident fact-checker, Daniel Dale, to assess the accuracy of Trump’s claims. In one instance, Dale shamed Trump for calling D.A. Alvin Bragg a Soros-backed prosecutor, even going so far as to claim Soros…

Tapper Brings In 'Fact Checker' Daniel Dale to Knock Trump's Opinions
CNN's resident "fact checker" Daniel Dale usually shows his face on air when CNN wants to attack Donald Trump. On Thursday's The Lead with Jake Tapper, Dale confessed that Trump's statements during jury selection were mostly just opinion, but he mocked the idea that President Biden had something to do with Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's prosecution, even though an Associate Attorney…

Tapper Takes on Role of Dem Party Strategist, Urges Abandoning Israel
Radio host Mark Levin said it best Wednesday night when he noted that “the Democrat Party will sell its proverbial soul for 10,000 votes.” Much was the case on that evening’s edition of The Lead with Jake Tapper on CNN, when Tapper took on the role of party campaign strategist to urge the Biden administration to abandon Israel in its war against genocidal Hamas terrorists in order to…