Legal Expert Jonathan Turley Warns Whoopi: ‘Apologize on the Air’
Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law scholar, has called on Whoopi Goldberg to apologize to Holtermann’s Bakery, a small family-owned business, which she accused of discrimination after they allegedly refused her a last-minute order for cupcakes due to her political views. Goldberg claimed on “The View” that the bakery hadn’t fulfilled her order because “they did not like my politics,” despite the bakery’s owner, Jill Holtermann, explaining that her ovens were down and she couldn’t take on the last-minute request. Turley argued that Goldberg’s statements could fit the criteria for defamation, suggesting that even without naming the bakery, her comments were damaging enough to merit legal action. Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella also criticized Goldberg’s remarks as defamatory and called for support for the bakery. Turley concluded that if Goldberg fails to make a public apology, the bakery might have grounds to pursue legal action for the harm caused by her unfounded accusations.
Constitutional law scholar Jonathan Turley urged left-wing talk show host Whoopi Goldberg to publicly apologize to a family-owned bakery she had maligned as discriminatory after evidence emerged contradicting her reckless attack.
Last week, Goldberg falsely accused Holtermann’s Bakery — a small bakery in Staten Island, New York — of refusing her last-minute birthday order for 50 Charlotte Russe cupcakes because “perhaps they did not like my politics.”
“I should tell you, Charlotte Russe [cake] has no political leanings, and the place that made these refused to make them for me,” Goldberg said last week on “The View.”
“They said that their ovens had gone down, all kinds of stuff. But folks went and got them anyway, which is why I’m not telling you who made them. It’s not because I’m a woman, but perhaps they did not like my politics,” she claimed.
The implication was the bakery acted in a discriminatory, unprofessional manner by refusing Goldberg‘s order because they’re prejudiced against her leftist views.
Whoopi Goldberg claims NYC bakery
‘refused’ to make her a birthday dessert because of her ‘politics’ pic.twitter.com/q9OjBy7hkd— Simo saadi🇲🇦🇵🇸🇺🇸 (@Simo7809957085) November 14, 2024
Jill Holtermann, the owner of the 145-year-old Holtermann’s Bakery, denied Goldberg’s allegations.
She said, she had warned Goldberg that she couldn’t commit to making the last-minute order because of a broken boiler, amNY reported.
In a Fox News opinion piece, Turley said a defamation case could be established even though Goldberg did not name the bakery.
“While she pointedly said that she would not name the bakery, it took little time for people to deduce that it was Holtermann’s Bakery on Staten Island, given that its signature Charlotte Russe cakes are a legend in New York,” he wrote.
“The fact is that the ovens did go down,” the law professor wrote. “The bakery stopped taking orders until it could get a working boiler.”
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, an attorney, blasted Goldberg‘s slanderous remarks and accused the TV host of defaming the 145-year-old bakery.
“Recently, someone took to the national airwaves and defamed, frankly, this family business,” Fossella said.
“We’re here to stand up for one of the best families and businesses, not just in Staten Island, but in the country.”
Whoopi Goldberg lied, again, claimed a bakery refused her service over leftist views.
The bakery’s owner, Jill Holtermann and Staten Island Borough President, Vito Fossella responds. pic.twitter.com/lPYFlzPsCj
— Eddie (@Eddies_X) November 15, 2024
In his column, Turley refuted online scuttlebutt that Goldberg cannot be sued for defamation because she didn’t specifically name the bakery or had used the adverb “perhaps” when she attacked the business.
“It is worth noting that the implied accusation against the bakery could fit into a per se category of impugning business or professional integrity,” the George Washington University law professor wrote.
“Goldberg’s statement was clearly meant to impugn the reputation and professional standing of the bakery. It can be argued as defamatory per se by implication.”
He underscored: “The fact that Goldberg identified the bakery only as a local bakery associated with these cakes is not a defense. The identity of the bakery was quickly deduced and published widely.”
Turley said, “[I]t would be up to a jury to balance the earlier standards and the evidence in this case.”
“However, a case could be made for defamation and a court could find that the matter should be left to the fact finder at trial. Goldberg and ABC would be wise to apologize on the air to the bakery,” he advised.
Is a lawsuit coming for Whoopi, ABC & Disney pic.twitter.com/Dhwy2CY0Rw
— Karli Bonne’ 🇺🇸 (@KarluskaP) November 15, 2024
Generally, it’s not a good idea to be litigious. But in this instance, Holtermann’s Bakery should sue Goldberg if the left-wing loudmouth doesn’t apologize publicly.
After all, Whoopi flippantly slandered the bakery on national TV by suggesting it was prejudiced against her — with zero regard for the damage her frivolous smear could have on the small business.
The fact that Goldberg assumed the bakery was lying when the owner said her boiler was broken proves the adage that “Every accusation is a confession” when you’re dealing with leftists.
It was Goldberg who acted with prejudice when she assumed the bakery was run by a Republican who was hostile to her political views.
Conservatives need to make an example of leftist tyrants like Whoopi Goldberg who cavalierly malign people without regard for the harm their reckless slander could cause.
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