Florida Democrat’s defamation appeal denied by Supreme Court.

Former Rep. Alan Grayson’s Defamation Lawsuit Dismissed by Supreme Court

Background

Former Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) lost a defamation lawsuit against independent political groups over the 2018 election. Grayson represented Florida’s 9th congressional district from 2013 to 2017 and attempted a political comeback in 2022 but lost the Democratic Party’s primary for Florida’s 10th congressional district.

The Supreme Court’s Decision

The Supreme Court dismissed Grayson v. No Labels Inc., court file 22-906, in an unsigned order. The court did not provide an explanation for its decision, and no justices dissented from the order.

The Lawsuit

Grayson sued No Labels Inc., its founder Nancy Jacobson, her husband Mark Penn, and two political action committees for defamation, defamation by implication, and civil conspiracy. He claimed that the respondents engaged in defamatory political speech opposing his candidacy in the 2018 campaign, which influenced voters in his district to vote against him and caused him to lose.

The Ruling

Judge Paul Byron of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida granted summary judgment against Grayson, finding “there is not even a scintilla of evidence showing—much less clear and convincing proof of—actual malice.” The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit affirmed Byron’s ruling, determining that “Grayson submitted no evidence from which a jury might plausibly infer that the defendants” made false statements about Grayson, whether knowingly or recklessly.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases