Suspended Fox News Host Eric Bolling is suing Yashir Ali, the Huffington Post reporter who broke the story of Bolling sending unsolicited photographs of male genitalia to his female colleagues at Fox News which resulted in his suspension, pending further investigation. CNN’s Brian Stetler spoke with the journalist on the phone:
Stetler: He is suing you for defamation. Why is he wrong?
Ali: He is wrong because I spent three months on this story. As you said, I had fourteen sources. I have spoken to the victims and that is on a factual basis. I know he's wrong. He's also wrong in the sense that we have the First Amendment and as my lawyer said, the best defense against defamation is the truth. He is trying to intimidate me. He sees me as a young reporter that may get scared by a big lawsuit but if he wants to wade into this pond, I'm happy to wade in with him and as I said on Friday, I look forward to Patty [attorney Patty Glazer] deposing him and I look forward to the discovery process. It's important to note that he is suing me personally for $50 million dollars. He did not include Huff Post, which is owned by Verizon, in his lawsuit. If he wants $50 million, if he deserves damages, you go after the multi-billion dollar conglomerate, not an individual reporter.
Stetler: Interesting. Yeah, Fox News has nothing to do with this suit either. It's just Bolling personally suing you personally. So you think he is just trying to intimidate you to silence you?
Ali: Yeah, that would normally be a good strategy. I am a young reporter and most people would be scared by this. My life history has given me a lot of experience to not be scared by these things and in fact, I relish the opportunity to see him be deposed and to stand up not only for my 1st Amendment rights, but the rights of many other reporters who messaged me after this case saying that now they would be scared by this kind of action.
The only bigger idiot than Bolling is clearly his attorney. So far, if this is any indication, this is going to be one for the books.