The Intercept is being sued by billionaire mercenary Erik Prince. Again.
Prince, founder of the private security firm Blackwater, had his first defamation lawsuit against The Intercept tossed out of court. But instead of giving up, he refiled his case in another jurisdiction, and it was dismissed again.
Now, he’s filed a third time over the exact same story.
This is the weaponization of libel law: billionaires using their deep pockets to threaten the news media and chill journalism. Prince’s legal harassment has cost The Intercept more than $200,000 in outside legal fees as well as countless and seemingly never-ending hours by our legal department.
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There’s nothing unusual about a wealthy or powerful person responding badly to news coverage.
But the weaponization of libel law has become a serious threat to journalism.
Lawsuits like this don’t have to be successful in court to accomplish the goal of intimidating journalists. Simply by costing us money — and this case has cost us more than $200,000 — the lawsuits suck up resources and send a message to reporters that they investigate billionaires like Prince at their own risk.
Between Erik Prince and the other legal battles we’re waging, our bills have piled up. It’s critical that we have a well-funded legal team able to defend our journalists and insist on our rights, so we’re asking you today: Will you donate $5 to help support The Intercept’s hard-hitting investigative journalism?
Thank you,
