NEW YORK—Yesterday, President-elect Donald Trump sued renowned pollster J. Ann Selzer, the Des Moines Register, and its parent company, Gannett, calling the Register’s publication earlier this year of a Selzer poll showing Kamala Harris leading in Iowa “brazen election interference.” The lawsuit is part of a larger effort by President-elect Trump to prevent the press from reporting on issues of vital public interest.  

The following can be attributed to Anna Diakun, a staff attorney at the Knight Institute: 

“​​This lawsuit is a non-starter under the First Amendment. The court should dismiss it quickly, recognizing it for what it is: an effort to undermine public discourse and press freedom, and to intimidate and silence President Trump’s perceived political enemies.”

For more information, contact: Adriana Lamirande, [email protected].