That’s a good question.
Can a White House official be sued for slander?
Can a White House official be sued for slander?
Reposted from
Navin Pokala 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
I’m not a lawyer. Does Stephen Miller have immunity from Garcia’s family suing him for slander & libel? He’s not an elected official or a Senate-confirmed Officer of the United States. bsky.app/profile/ruth...
Comments
Especially Leavitt.
🤔
Sullivan standard applies. Plaintiff would have to prove that Miller spoke with "actual malice ... knowledge that it was false or reckless disregard for its truth or falsity".
And plaintiffs would have to prove its false; Miller gets the presumption.
So - very ish.
(Yes, I'm a lawyer.)
If someone robs a bodega while you're there, you're a public figure while the story is newsworthy.
You don’t have to put yourself forward.
https://dc.law.utah.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1232&context=ulr
None of it was his choice, but still.
Also, not sure what would prevent Miller from dodging responsibility by just saying he's basing his information on what the government has said.
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/rick-pitino-sex-scandal-waitress-extortion-trial-louisville/699aa60a058bfedab9e3e92d
I can never remember.
https://bsky.app/profile/timoconnorbl.bsky.social/post/3lmutmkzotk2z
Ghoul from the above comment is more apt.
https://bsky.app/profile/plannedtheride.bsky.social/post/3lmutjwjtfk2f
As in Miller can't slander Garcia if Garcia is dead.
But also, Miller is a ghoul
Hopefully Abrego Garcia os not yet among the shades, although Miller clearly has the wiff of sulphur about him
https://www.unplugmusk.com
This is beyond a constitutional crisis because Roberts’ Supreme Court already granted Trump presidential immunity
https://www.salon.com/2025/04/15/john-roberts-created-this-monster-what-is-he-going-to-do-about-him/
I'd like to see his papers.
No idea who the Portuguese politician is you’re talking about, but he or she could not be a worse human being than Steven Miller.
Yes, but "executive branch officials have absolute privilege for statements made in the course of their official duties, which can make it difficult to sue them for slander. "
But my bet is he'd succeed with a QI claim.
But I also think that there are kinds of discipline that could be sought via other means.
Just as an example, Dale Ho suggested Pam Bondi had violated local rules on public statements.
In normal times, yes.
But we are no longer in normal times
But IANAL, so take that for what it's worth.
I'm just morose about this.
But these lies about Garcia are just so damn blatant and gratuitous, I’d like to see them have to make the argument that intentional, baseless lying is part of their federal jobs.
Leavitt too.
And Kristi Noem.