Let’s say this clearly, firmly and in no uncertain terms. If there is anything at all to the claims that the National Enquirer engaged in extortion and/or blackmail in an effort to silence critics both of its practices and the practices of its dear one, Donald Trump, the Enquirer and its parent, Amerian Media, have forfeited their right to exist.
If it does turn out the Enquirer threatened to ruin Jeff Bezos unless he backed off his efforts to find out how it got Bezos’ texts, it’s not unfair to ask whether the Enquirer should be allowed to exist. It’s bad enough that the Enquirer obtained private text messages in a manner that cannot possibly be legitimate. But to bully and intimidate someone with the threat that more pictures would be released unless that person backs off legitimate efforts to find out how it happened? In what world is this acceptable?
Likewise, if the Enquirer indeed threatened to wreck Ronan Farrow’s reputation unless he backed off Trump, it’s not unfair to ask whether the Enquirer should be allowed to exist. No reporter should have to fear being retaliated against for holding the powerful accountable—especially not by a so-called media outlet serving as a de facto handmaiden for the president.
Both together? The strongest protection of free speech and freedom of the press cannot and should not protect a so-called media outlet for whom extortion and blackmail are standard operating procedure. If there is anything to Bezos and Farrow’s claims, and federal prosecutors don’t prosecute the Enquirer out of existence, then the Enquirer must be sued out of existence. Period, full stop.