Poll Lawsuit Dismissed
Iowa Judge Dismisses Trump Lawsuit Over Pre-Election Poll as Protected Speech
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Key Points
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The lawsuit was also brought by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and former Iowa state Sen. Brad Zaun, who joined Trump as plaintiffs; the case was dismissed with prejudice, preventing the same claims from being refiled.
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The poll projected Kamala Harris at 47% and Trump at 44%, while Trump ultimately carried Iowa 56% to 43%, illustrating the survey’s large miss.
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Judge Beattie said the case could have a chilling effect on journalism by discouraging people from “reporting on and debating public affairs,” and emphasized that the poll was not a commercial product subject to consumer-fraud law.
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Beattie ruled that even if the plaintiffs’ allegations of intentional election interference were accepted, all three claims would still fail because they did not establish fraud or deception under Iowa law.
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Trump’s attorneys had not indicated whether they planned to appeal, while the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the ruling.
An Iowa judge dismissed President Donald Trump's lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer on Thursday, ruling that a pre-election poll showing Kamala Harris ahead was protected political speech. TVNewsCheck reported that Judge Scott Beattie said allowing the case to proceed would chill journalism and discourage reporting on public affairs.
The poll showed Harris at 47% and Trump at 44% in Iowa, where Trump ultimately won 56% to 43%. Trump and Republican allies alleged the poll and its coverage constituted election interference and fraud. Beattie said all claims would fail under Iowa law even if the plaintiffs' allegations were true.
A Poll That Badly Missed the Mark
The Des Moines Register's final poll before the 2024 election showed a three-point Harris lead in a state Trump had won in 2020. CBS2Iowa reported that the survey proved spectacularly wrong when Trump carried Iowa by 13 points. The massive miss prompted Trump to file suit, claiming the poll was designed to interfere with the election.
Trump's legal team argued the poll violated Iowa's consumer-fraud law and constituted intentional election interference. The Epoch Times noted that Trump was joined by Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and former state Senator Brad Zaun as co-plaintiffs in the case.
Judge Shields Media From 'Fake News' Lawsuits
Judge Beattie dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning Trump cannot refile the same claims. WAVY reported that Beattie emphasized the lawsuit would have a chilling effect on journalism by discouraging reporters from covering elections. He ruled the poll was political speech, not a commercial product subject to fraud laws.
Beattie stated that even if Trump's allegations of intentional interference were assumed true, all three claims would still fail legally. Selzer's lawyers said the decision affirmed that government officials cannot weaponize "fake news" claims to punish protected speech.
Another Loss in Trump's Media Legal Campaign
The ruling is a significant setback for Trump's broader effort to sue media organizations over their coverage. The Independent noted that Trump has filed multiple lawsuits against news outlets, but courts have repeatedly rejected them on First Amendment grounds. This Iowa decision reinforces that threshold.
Trump's attorneys did not immediately signal plans to appeal. The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the ruling, leaving unclear whether Trump intends to pursue this case further.
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