Michael Wolff files lawsuit against First Lady over alleged Epstein defamation

Author Michael Wolff sued First Lady Melania Trump Tuesday after her legal team threatened him with a $1 billion lawsuit if he doesn't "immediately retract" and apologize for allegedly defamatory remarks linking her to Jeffrey Epstein. The big picture: Wolff claims the First Lady's lawsuit threat is an attempt to silence him through intimidation and the potential for large legal fees."Mrs. Trump and her 'unitary executive' husband along with their MAGA myrmidons have made a practice of threatening those who speak against them with costly SLAPP actions in order to silence their speech," Wolff said in the filing. SLAPP cases — strategic lawsuits against public participation — are designed to silence speech and intimidate recipients with the threat of defending expensive lawsuits."While the First Amendment has not changed radically in the country, there's been an attack and an attempt to discredit the press and journalists generally that have led to the changed atmosphere," Wolff's attorney David Korzenik tells Axios.The intrigue: Wolff is asking the New York Supreme Court to issue a declaratory judgement that he hasn't defamed Trump, along with compensation under the state's Anti-Slapp Law. Though Trump's team had cited Florida law in its warning to Wolff, he sued the First Lady in New York, which has a stronger anti-SLAPP law than the Sunshine State, according to the Public Participation Project.Catch up quick: The Trumps have a long-standing feud with Wolff, who has written four books about the president. The White House previously demanded his 2018 book "Fire and Fury" be pulled from publication. In her fight against Epstein-related comments earlier this year, the First Lady posted examples of public apologies and retractions she had received, including one podcast excerpt from Wolff about Trump and Epstein's relationship that had later been edited out. What's inside: The suit outlines 11 specific statements, including podcast clips, news articles and Instagram posts, that the First Lady's team claims are defamatory. For example, her lawyers say Wolff's comments imply the First Lady was "very involved" in Epstein's circle and that the Trumps' marriage is a "sham."Wolff argues the claims were either taken out of context, not authored by him or were protected opinions backed by facts."It is not defamatory to say that Mrs. Trump is actively managing the present White House response to the controversy," the filing said. "Nor is it defamatory to say that Mrs. Trump was involved in Epstein's rather expansive social circle." "These threatened legal actions are designed to create a climate of fear in the nation so that people cannot freely or confidently exercise their First Amendment rights," he said in the suit. What they're saying: "First Lady Melania Trump is proud to continue standing up to those who spread malicious and defamatory falsehoods as they desperately try to get undeserved attention and money from their unlawful conduct," her spokesperson told Axios. "To be perfectly honest, I'd like nothing better than to get Donald Trump and Melania Trump under oath in front of a court reporter and actually find out all of the details of their relationship with Epstein," Wolf said in an Instagram video Wednesday.

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