- Title: FBI Director Kash Patel Wins $250K in Defamation Case Against Blogger Jim Stewartson
- Category: Defamation Wins Feed
- Tags: defamation, FBI, social media, public officials, default judgment, U.S. law
- Date: August 15, 2025
- Status: Published
FBI Director Kash Patel and his foundation won a $250,000 default judgment in a defamation lawsuit against blogger Jim Stewartson, who publicly accused Patel of being a “Kremlin asset” and of planning the January 6 Capitol attack. The U.S. District Court in Las Vegas ruled that Stewartson acted with actual malice, and awarded both compensatory and punitive damages. The judge emphasized that while public figures must tolerate criticism, defamatory falsehoods made with malice are not protected speech. Stewartson failed to respond to the lawsuit, triggering the default ruling. For reputation defenders, this case is a reminder: even lone bloggers can face serious consequences when their claims cross the line from opinion into malicious fabrication
Strategic Takeaway
Courts are drawing a hard line between criticism and defamation. When false claims target public officials with malice, even independent voices face six-figure consequences.
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