The actual malice standard basically says, ‘OK, you do have defamation but there’s an additional standard that needs to be overcome if you’re a public figure.’”. Nick Denton, founder of Gawker, clashed with Terry Bollea, AKA Hulk Hogan, before the site declared bankruptcy. Photograph: Pool/Reuters.
Around the same time, Gawker posted a clip from the former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan’s sex tape. Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, hired personal lawyer David Houston to ask Gawker to remove the video, and when the publisher refused, citing first amendment rights, Houston asked Harder to file a lawsuit against Gawker and its founder, ...
Sometimes when people lie and lie, they become emboldened that they can get away with anything, and then they tell bigger and bigger lies against various people, some of whom can afford to bring an action. The takeaway is that news organisations need to be responsible, just like lawyers, doctors, and teachers.”.
Charles Harder is in a combative mood. Hollywood’s top entertainment lawyer, fresh from a $140m lawsuit against Gawker on behalf of Hulk Hogan, is representing Melania Trump, potential first lady of the United States, in a $150m lawsuit against the UK’s Daily Mail, just months before the presidential election.