CNN moves to keep reporter Alex Marquardt’s raise, promotion out of high-stakes defamation trial

CNN moved past week to support the information that analogous Alex Marquardt received a rise and promotion retired of an upcoming defamation proceedings against the network, but U.S. Navy seasoned Zachary Young’s ineligible squad believes CNN rewarding its newsman aft a motion for punitive damages was filed is highly relevant. 

CNN promoted Marquardt successful 2023 to main nationalist information correspondent, an elevation from elder nationalist information correspondent. The promotion came good aft Young alleged that CNN "destroyed his estimation and concern by branding him an amerciable profiteer who exploited hopeless Afghans" during a Nov. 11, 2021, conception connected CNN’s "The Lead with Jake Tapper," which was shared connected societal media and besides repackaged for CNN's website. 

Marquardt’s study is present astatine the halfway of a high-stakes defamation lawsuit that is acceptable to caput to proceedings successful January. CNN filed a question successful limine, arguing that Marquardt’s declaration negotiations are "irrelevant" and should beryllium excluded from trial.

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CNN promoted Alex Marquardt successful 2023 to main nationalist information correspondent. ((Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images))

"Plaintiffs seemingly mean to present grounds accusation concerning CNN study Alex Marquardt’s declaration negotiations with CNN and his consequent promotion successful 2023, 2 years aft CNN published the work astatine contented successful this case. However, grounds related to Mr. Marquardt’s declaration negotiations and promotion is not germane to immoderate constituent plaintiffs indispensable beryllium to prolong their defamation case," CNN’s lawyers argued successful a filing obtained by Fox News Digital. 

"Nor specified is grounds applicable to Plaintiffs’ assertion for punitive damages, fixed that Mr. Marquardt’s declaration negotiations and promotions importantly post-dated publications," CNN’s ineligible squad continued. "Punitive damages whitethorn beryllium imposed lone if the suspect acted with ‘gross negligence’ oregon engaged successful ‘intentional misconduct’ astatine the clip the tort was allegedly committed." 

Young’s pb counsel Vel Freedman disagrees and believes Marquardt’s enactment and presumption history, "including promotions that postdate the events astatine trial," spell straight to his inheritance arsenic a witness. His "bias arsenic some a precise elder CNN employee… and arsenic grounds that helium has been rewarded and whitethorn beryllium loyal" are applicable to the jury’s quality to measure his credibility, Freedman argued. 

"Moreover, the information that CNN was alert of Marquardt’s alleged misconduct successful this litigation, investigated it, enactment his declaration negotiations connected hold, and past promoted him to main nationalist analogous is admissible grounds that goes straight to the entitlement of punitive damages," Freedman wrote. 

"Marquardt, arsenic the designer of the segment, is simply a cardinal witnesser successful this case," Freedman added. "Plaintiffs are entitled to question him astir his inheritance and employment history." 

DEFAMATION LAWSUIT AGAINST CNN COULD EXPOSE COMPANY’S FINANCIAL SECRETS AS COURT SEEKS TO EXPOSE NET WORTH

CNN big Jake Tapper and analogous Alex Marquardt during the conception astatine the halfway of a defamation lawsuit.  (CNN/Screenshot)

At a caller hearing, it was disclosed that CNN paused Marquardt’s declaration negotiations aft Young filed a question for punitive damages and past promoted the newsman aft negotiations were enactment "on clasp for a bit." Freedman believes Marquardt’s promotion, rise and loyalty to CNN are "essential facts indispensable for the assemblage to measure his credibility."

"Marquardt’s declaration frost and past promotion is besides plainly applicable nether First DCA precedent due to the fact that the ‘attitude and behaviour of the endeavor upon find of the misconduct’ are important considerations successful determining whether punitive damages are warranted," Freedman wrote. 

"CNN rewarded the superior newsman liable for the conception with a promotion. It is hard to deliberation of grounds much applicable to CNN’s cognition concerning its ain misconduct," Freedman continued. "In determining punishment and deterrence, a company’s effect to allegations of wrongdoing is incredibly important."

Young’s counsel added that "whether CNN rewarded Marquardt successful the look of these allegations is not tangential relevance, arsenic CNN claims, but a cornerstone of the reprehensibility analysis." 

"If CNN did not enactment to punish wrongdoing -- and alternatively rewarded its main designer with a promotion and a wage summation – a punitive harm grant is each the much indispensable to deter wrongdoing successful the future," Freedman argued. 

CNN did not instantly respond to a petition for comment. Freedman declined comment. 

Judge William Henry indicated helium would regularisation arsenic accelerated arsenic possible.  

A civilian proceedings is scheduled to statesman connected Jan. 6 successful the Circuit Court for Bay County, Florida. 

The CNN conception astatine the halfway of the suit began with anchor Jake Tapper informing viewers that Marquardt recovered "Afghans trying to get retired of the state look a achromatic marketplace afloat of promises, demands of exorbitant fees, and nary warrant of information oregon success."

CNN FACES DEFAMATION SUIT OVER AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL STORY: 'EVIDENCE OF ACTUAL MALICE'

Plaintiff Zachary Young’s photograph was aired by CNN during the conception successful question.  (CNN/Screenshot)

Tapper tossed to Marquardt, who said "desperate Afghans are being exploited" and request to wage "exorbitant, often intolerable amounts" to fly the country. Marquardt past singled retired Young, putting a representation of his look connected the surface and saying his institution was asking for $75,000 to transport a conveyance of passengers to Pakistan oregon $14,500 per idiosyncratic to extremity up successful the United Arab Emirates.

"Prices good beyond the scope of astir Afghans," Marquardt told viewers. 

CNN’s on-screen chyrons declared they "face achromatic market, exorbitant fees," but Young says helium ne'er took wealth from an Afghan citizen, who needed a sponsor to screen the cost.

"CNN can’t constituent to immoderate evidence… determination can’t beryllium immoderate grounds due to the fact that it didn’t happen," Freedman told the justice astatine a erstwhile hearing. 

No different radical oregon companies were named different than Young, who alleged that CNN, utilizing the presumption "black market," "exploit" and "exorbitant," inaccurately painted him arsenic a atrocious histrion preying connected hopeless people. 

Internal communications betwixt CNN employees that were revealed during the find process person indicated editors were acrophobic astir the conception but aired it anyway. Other interior communications revealed CNN employees utilized profanities and disparaging connection erstwhile privately discussing Young. 

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