Tony Bobulinski has sued Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) for defamation, the Daily Caller reported on Friday morning. The lawsuit comes after Bobulinski's lawyers warned late last month that he would do so after the congressman put a post claiming "Tony Bobulinski has used a Trump campaign-paid lawyer to make false allegations since October 2020."
A March 26 letter from Bobulinski's attorneys warned that the congressman had five days from receiving the letter to "delete the post from X and publicly retract your statement on X." The post, from March 21 about an exchange during the House Oversight Committee from the day before, remains.
Tony Bobulinski has used a Trump campaign-paid lawyer to make false allegations since October 2020.
— Rep. Dan Goldman (@RepDanGoldman) March 21, 2024
When Cassidy Hutchinson said he met with Mark Meadows with a mask on, he called her a liar.
Then she produced a photo.
Watch how he dissembles in response to the receipt 👇 pic.twitter.com/EazzJ0nW70
The complaint reads that Goldman "has repeatedly lied about Plaintiff, Anthony Bobulinski, saying that Mr. Bobulinski has used a Trump campaign-paid lawyer to lie since October 2020, spreads Russian disinformation, and is a Trump campaign plant. Defendant lied solely to serve his political agenda by deliberately besmirching the character of Mr. Bobulinski and to protect Joseph Biden. Defendant’s assertions are unequivocally false and defamatory." It also says that Goldman "wholly ignored" the directive to take the post down and apologize. "Accordingly, Mr. Bobulinski seeks to hold Defendant accountable for his malicious and knowing lies."
As the lawsuit summarizes, Bobulinski had been among those witnesses testifying for the Committee about influence peddling to do with the Biden family. Hunter Biden, Bobulinski's previous business associate, was also supposed to attend. However, despite asking for a public hearing, he did not do so. Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) sought for Hunter to attend so as to clear up some inconsistencies, which was a point raised during that March 20 hearing, with Comer still looking to clear up such inconsistencies.
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Goldman also claimed on March 21 that Bobulinski's testimony was "Russian disinformation." Previously, on February 14, 2024, Goldman also directed his words to Comer in a post that claimed "You brought in a Trump campaign plant to peddle your same lies."
Chairman @JamesComer: if you think that was “witness intimidation,” please release the video you took of the interview so the American people can be the judge.
— Rep. Dan Goldman (@RepDanGoldman) February 14, 2024
You brought in a Trump campaign plant to peddle your same lies.
The evidence matters, not your baseless allegations. https://t.co/gbNPKJOYZq
The lawsuit makes clear "Each of the statements is unequivocally false." It goes on to note how "since 2020, when Mr. Bobulinski first started speaking publicly against the Biden Family’s corruption, he has spent over $500,000 of his own money on legal fees."
"Neither President Trump, nor any Trump affiliated entities, have ever paid for Mr. Bobulinski’s legal fees," the lawsuit makes clear. "Further, Mr. Bobulinski is not affiliated with the Trump campaign inany way. He has never lied to Congress, or anyone else, from the inception of when he first started speaking publicly in 2020 about Biden Family improprieties with the Chinese Communist Party and affiliated organizations," it later notes.
The lawsuit particularly called out Goldman's "delusional assertion" of the "Russian disinformation" claim, referring to it as "the ever-present garbage so often used by Democrats invariably reflecting their lack of any substantive support based in reality."
Bobulinski, as the lawsuit reminds, which had also referred to him as "a political moderate," is "neither a Republican, nor a Trump campaign plant and is most definitely not working with the Russians to spread disinformation and lie to the American people."
Particularly damning to Goldman is how the lawsuit lays out that the congressman made his statements "outside the scope of his employment." As it lays out:
Defendant deliberately and maliciously made these statements, outside the scope of his employment, in an attempt to discredit Mr. Bobulinski’s testimony and to besmirch Mr. Bobulinski’s character. It was a mistake for Defendant to believe he was cloaked with immunity for his defamatory statements.
Defendant made these statements impromptu on X, outside of Congress, and used none of Congress’ resources. He did so not to inform the public with facts, but rather, for the unforeseeable act to attack Mr. Bobulinski with lies to try and repair the image of Joseph Biden in the wake of evidence of corruption presented against the Biden Family. Defendant’s conduct was solely to achieve his personal vendetta against Mr. Bobulinski for speaking out against the Biden family. Defendant’s post of February 14, 2024, was even made outside of work hours, made at 8:03 AM.
...
Defendant was aware at the time he made these false statements that they would inflame a segment of the country against Mr. Bobulinski and would falsely cause persons to disbelieve Mr. Bobulinski’s sworn testimony.
When it comes to how Goldman is a member of the Committee, though, the lawsuit also reminds that "Defendant was acutely aware that Mr. Bobulinski has not accepted money from President Trump, or any persons or entities affiliated with President Trump, to pay his legal bills. Defendant was further aware Plaintiff has not told any lies, is not a Trump campaign plant, and is certainly not spreading Russian disinformation."
The lawsuit, which is being filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, asks for damages of $20 million. Also listed as part of the prayer for relief is an "award of Plaintiff’s costs associated with this action, including but not limited to their reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses."
Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) may also soon be sued, the lawsuit warns. Speaking about Goldman, the lawsuit noted that "Defendant has been working in tag-team fashion with fellow Oversight Committee member, Rep. Jamie Raskin, in a social media blitz of defamatory posts deliberately and maliciously besmirching the character of Mr. Bobulinski. Rep. Raskin will soon also enjoy the suffix, 'Defendant' in litigation Mr. Bobulinski will file against him if he also fails to retract and delete his posts."
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