Family of slain Democratic staffer Seth Rich sues Fox News

[Scamp]

Headline: Family of man killed by Hillary sues Fox news...

 

[AntonToo]

Headline: Family of man killed by Hillary sues Fox news...

This is exactly why FOX News needed to be sued for damages.

 

[paperview]

For anyone interested in the verbiage of the actual lawsuit:

<snip>

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
-------------------------------------------------------------- X
JOEL RICH and MARY RICH,
:
:
Plaintiffs,
:
:
v.
:
:
FOX NEWS NETWORK, LLC, MALIA
:
ZIMMERMAN in her individual and professional
:
capacities, and ED BUTOWSKY, in his individual :
and professional capacities,
:
:
Defendants.
:
-------------------------------------------------------------- X

Civil Action No. 18-cv-2223

COMPLAINT

Jury Trial Demanded

PLAINTIFFS Joel Rich and Mary Rich, by and through Massey & Gail LLP and Susman
Godfrey LLP, their undersigned attorneys, bring this Complaint against Defendants, and in support
state:
INTRODUCTION
1.

Joel and Mary Rich, grieving parents of a murdered child, seek justice for having

become collateral damage in a political war to which they are innocent bystanders.
2.

In July 2016, Seth Rich, a young Democratic National Committee (“DNC”)

employee, was murdered in the streets of Washington, D.C., in what authorities have stated
publicly was a botched robbery. Fox News, Fox reporter Malia Zimmerman, and Fox News
contributor and political operative Ed Butowsky intentionally exploited this tragedy—including
through lies, misrepresentations, and half-truths—with disregard for the obvious harm that their
actions would cause Joel and Mary.
3.

Fox News, Fox reporter Zimmerman, and Fox News contributor and political

operative Butowsky thought much could be made of the fact that Seth was a DNC employee. They
induced Joel and Mary, his parents, to hire Rod Wheeler, a purportedly independent investigator, to
1

help “solve” their son’s murder. Defendants worked with Wheeler to pursue and develop a fiction
that Seth had leaked thousands of DNC emails to WikiLeaks. And they published, republished,
and publicized the sham story—which they knew would be covered again and again, and
republished, here and around the world—painting Joel and Mary’s son as a criminal and a traitor to
the United States.
4.

Defendants also intentionally made it appear that Joel and Mary were involved in

and confirmed the substance of this smear campaign.
5.

Defendants’ actions have precipitated broad outrage, regardless of political

affiliation, including from internal Fox personnel and Fox advertisers. Defendants’ conduct was
extreme and outrageous.
6.

Joel and Mary bring this case to hold Fox News, Fox reporter Zimmerman, and Fox

News contributor and political operative Butowsky accountable. They seek to help prevent similar
malicious and reckless conduct to protect future innocent victims from similarly becoming political
fodder.
.....:

Continued: Rich family complaint March 13 2018 (PDF)
Rich family complaint March 13 2018 (Text)

 

[Esmeralda]

For anyone interested in the verbiage of the actual lawsuit:

<snip>

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
-------------------------------------------------------------- X
JOEL RICH and MARY RICH,
:
:
Plaintiffs,
:
:
v.
:
:
FOX NEWS NETWORK, LLC, MALIA
:
ZIMMERMAN in her individual and professional
:
capacities, and ED BUTOWSKY, in his individual :
and professional capacities,
:
:
Defendants.
:
-------------------------------------------------------------- X

Civil Action No. 18-cv-2223

COMPLAINT

Jury Trial Demanded

PLAINTIFFS Joel Rich and Mary Rich, by and through Massey & Gail LLP and Susman
Godfrey LLP, their undersigned attorneys, bring this Complaint against Defendants, and in support
state:
INTRODUCTION
1.

Joel and Mary Rich, grieving parents of a murdered child, seek justice for having

become collateral damage in a political war to which they are innocent bystanders.
2.

In July 2016, Seth Rich, a young Democratic National Committee (“DNC”)

employee, was murdered in the streets of Washington, D.C., in what authorities have stated
publicly was a botched robbery. Fox News, Fox reporter Malia Zimmerman, and Fox News
contributor and political operative Ed Butowsky intentionally exploited this tragedy—including
through lies, misrepresentations, and half-truths—with disregard for the obvious harm that their
actions would cause Joel and Mary.
3.

Fox News, Fox reporter Zimmerman, and Fox News contributor and political

operative Butowsky thought much could be made of the fact that Seth was a DNC employee. They
induced Joel and Mary, his parents, to hire Rod Wheeler, a purportedly independent investigator, to
1

help “solve” their son’s murder. Defendants worked with Wheeler to pursue and develop a fiction
that Seth had leaked thousands of DNC emails to WikiLeaks. And they published, republished,
and publicized the sham story—which they knew would be covered again and again, and
republished, here and around the world—painting Joel and Mary’s son as a criminal and a traitor to
the United States.
4.

Defendants also intentionally made it appear that Joel and Mary were involved in

and confirmed the substance of this smear campaign.
5.

Defendants’ actions have precipitated broad outrage, regardless of political

affiliation, including from internal Fox personnel and Fox advertisers. Defendants’ conduct was
extreme and outrageous.
6.

Joel and Mary bring this case to hold Fox News, Fox reporter Zimmerman, and Fox

News contributor and political operative Butowsky accountable. They seek to help prevent similar
malicious and reckless conduct to protect future innocent victims from similarly becoming political
fodder.
.....:

Continued: Rich family complaint March 13 2018 (PDF)
Rich family complaint March 13 2018 (Text)

Good for them. I hope they, the Rich's, get satisfaction out of this lawsuit. What Fox did to them is reprehensible.

 

[Reasonable]

And a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge FYI. Seth's father doesn't seem to really give a shit about finding his son's killer/killers. Only that Seth wouldn't be blamed for Clinton losing the election to Trump.

What a champ!

Isn’t that just like you, putting down grieving parents because your side was DEAD WRONG with your conspiracy theories.

 

[Reasonable]

The parents will win the lawsuit and that will punish so called journalists for publishing lies. Lies that stupid people like you believe; you are the perfect example of the dumbing down of the American psyche.

Come on! That lawsuit is going nowhere.

It is purely a publicity stunt to dupe dummies...don't be a dummy.

This is just reprehensible the way you people show such animosity and viciousness toward a family that suffered immeasurable pain due to a foolish, politically motivated conspiracy theory. You should feel shame, but you haven't got the balls to be honest with yourself.

WTF are talking about? I did none of that.

You can't even own up to your deplorable behavior. Figures.

"you people show such animosity and viciousness toward a family that suffered immeasurable pain"

You should seek mental help.

Fox News watcher.

 

[Reasonable]

Add this lawsuit of Fox’ despicable behavior to their reputation as the sexual assault station.

Not surprised it’s the station of choice of the Trump cult.

 

[Syriusly]

I don't get it. Seth Rich gave Wikileaks the DNC and Crooked Hillary emails. Everyone knows that. It is not a conspiracy theory.

"Everyone knows that"- everyone wearing the tinfoil hats and buying what the Right Wing Media is pushing.

 

[Syriusly]

Why was Seth Rich gunned down in the street but not robbed?

Why does the tinfoil brigade insist on conspiracy theories?

 

[Scamp]

What number is Seth Rich on the dead Clinton associates list? 40 or 50 or is it more than that?

 

[Scamp]

Why was Seth Rich gunned down in the street but not robbed?

Hit men are not robbers.

 

[tinydancer]

Good grief! If conspiracy theories become fodder for lawsuits the Kennedys can count on mega bucks. Hell's bells, the Trumps can have a blast with all the media too!

You people don't give a shit how much pain you cause innocent people. Despicable.

Thought control now over conspiracy theories?

Why how fascist of you!!!!! Let's get right to it. Seth was the victim. He was a political operative. He was murdered along with two other D's in one month.

No answers = conspiracy theories. Happens all the time. Sorry for their loss but until you progressive whack jobs manage to legislate thought control people will speculate.

It's not against the law.

The parents will win the lawsuit and that will punish so called journalists for publishing lies. Lies that stupid people like you believe; you are the perfect example of the dumbing down of the American psyche.

Fuck off with that shit Esmeralda. The problem with conspiracy theories is that when no one in law enforcement is forthcoming with the truth, when information is hidden it leaves the barn door wide open for theories on a murder.

Oh and maybe someone should inform the family, the media's defence is always "absence of malice". Great movie to understand how the media gets away with this shit. Sally Fields and Paul Newman.

I highly recommend it.

The issue of conspiracy theories is that people like you have zero critical thinking skills. You don't even know what critical thinking skills are you are so mentally warped.

Down to insults already? I love it. BTW I'm not into conspiracy theories. But I'm also not into thought control. People have a right to believe anything they want. No matter how off the wall it might be.

You know. Like that whacked out theory that humans are causing the planet to heat up and we're all going to die.

I mean how nuts is that one?

 

[WEATHER53]

Taking this path of protest is how you remain alive. They know who they would be messing with and don't choose to mess

 

[Seawytch]

You people don't give a shit how much pain you cause innocent people. Despicable.

Thought control now over conspiracy theories?

Why how fascist of you!!!!! Let's get right to it. Seth was the victim. He was a political operative. He was murdered along with two other D's in one month.

No answers = conspiracy theories. Happens all the time. Sorry for their loss but until you progressive whack jobs manage to legislate thought control people will speculate.

It's not against the law.

The parents will win the lawsuit and that will punish so called journalists for publishing lies. Lies that stupid people like you believe; you are the perfect example of the dumbing down of the American psyche.

Fuck off with that shit Esmeralda. The problem with conspiracy theories is that when no one in law enforcement is forthcoming with the truth, when information is hidden it leaves the barn door wide open for theories on a murder.

Oh and maybe someone should inform the family, the media's defence is always "absence of malice". Great movie to understand how the media gets away with this shit. Sally Fields and Paul Newman.

I highly recommend it.

The issue of conspiracy theories is that people like you have zero critical thinking skills. You don't even know what critical thinking skills are you are so mentally warped.

Down to insults already? I love it. BTW I'm not into conspiracy theories. But I'm also not into thought control. People have a right to believe anything they want. No matter how off the wall it might be.

You know. Like that whacked out theory that humans are causing the planet to heat up and we're all going to die.

I mean how nuts is that one?

Actually,the recognized conspiracy theory is that the climate is not warming and that man is not contributing to that.

 

[gipper]

Come on! That lawsuit is going nowhere.

It is purely a publicity stunt to dupe dummies...don't be a dummy.

This is just reprehensible the way you people show such animosity and viciousness toward a family that suffered immeasurable pain due to a foolish, politically motivated conspiracy theory. You should feel shame, but you haven't got the balls to be honest with yourself.

WTF are talking about? I did none of that.

You can't even own up to your deplorable behavior. Figures.

"you people show such animosity and viciousness toward a family that suffered immeasurable pain"

You should seek mental help.

Fox News watcher.

Never. sorry to disappoint your narrative.

 

[Dschrute3]

They can sue, but Seth Rich may very well have been the source for the Wikileaks info. He was in contact with Wikileaks. The Democrats obviously don't wanna accept that one of their own exposed their corruption, but it is likely the case.

 

[whitehall]

Wow, the hatred of fair and balanced media sources and the hard core political beliefs of democrats really trump (pardon the expression) a reasonable speculation about their son's murder and the search for the perpetrator. If you consider "mental anguish" and "emotional distress" to be the basis for a law suit you will probably see Hillary and her staff suing Fox.

 

[Crixus]

This is going to make the tin foil hat crowd's heads explode.

The family of slain Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against Fox News, one of the network's reporters, and a wealthy Texas businessman over their roles in the publication of a baseless conspiracy theory about Rich's 2016 death.
The lawsuit, filed in US District Court for the Southern District of New York, seeks compensation for "mental anguish and emotional distress, emotional pain and suffering, and any other physical and mental injuries."


"No parent should ever have to live through what we have been forced to endure," Joel and Mary Rich said in statement Tuesday night. "The pain and anguish that comes from seeing your murdered son's life and legacy treated as a mere political football is beyond comprehension."

The lawsuit said that Malia Zimmerman, the Fox News reporter named in the lawsuit, worked with Ed Butowsky, the wealthy businessman, to develop a "sham" story about Rich's death that Fox News published online in May 2017 and referenced on-air multiple times.
Family of slain Democratic staffer Seth Rich sues Fox News

Not really. They will lose or get paired to shut up then you will forget all about it.

 

[DJT for Life]

Good grief! If conspiracy theories become fodder for lawsuits the Kennedys can count on mega bucks. Hell's bells, the Trumps can have a blast with all the media too!

The conspiracy theories are all yours. Every one of them. From Hillary to Obama.

Conspiracy theories are fucking bipartisan asshole.

You're one of the top three conspiracy theorists on this forum.
I can give you a handful of right wing sites that strictly deal with false conspiracy bat shit crazy stories like Infowars.
Go ahead and name a comparable one on the left.

The New York Times?

Their normal routine is to publish the story on Tuesday and the retraction
on Friday.

 

[tinydancer]

Thought control now over conspiracy theories?

Why how fascist of you!!!!! Let's get right to it. Seth was the victim. He was a political operative. He was murdered along with two other D's in one month.

No answers = conspiracy theories. Happens all the time. Sorry for their loss but until you progressive whack jobs manage to legislate thought control people will speculate.

It's not against the law.

The parents will win the lawsuit and that will punish so called journalists for publishing lies. Lies that stupid people like you believe; you are the perfect example of the dumbing down of the American psyche.

Fuck off with that shit Esmeralda. The problem with conspiracy theories is that when no one in law enforcement is forthcoming with the truth, when information is hidden it leaves the barn door wide open for theories on a murder.

Oh and maybe someone should inform the family, the media's defence is always "absence of malice". Great movie to understand how the media gets away with this shit. Sally Fields and Paul Newman.

I highly recommend it.

The issue of conspiracy theories is that people like you have zero critical thinking skills. You don't even know what critical thinking skills are you are so mentally warped.

Down to insults already? I love it. BTW I'm not into conspiracy theories. But I'm also not into thought control. People have a right to believe anything they want. No matter how off the wall it might be.

You know. Like that whacked out theory that humans are causing the planet to heat up and we're all going to die.

I mean how nuts is that one?

Actually,the recognized conspiracy theory is that the climate is not warming and that man is not contributing to that.

Of course the planet is warming for crying out loud. We're in between ice ages. We've had a number of them and in between VOILA!!!!!

You get warming.