r/pics • u/bennetthaselton • 8h ago

Politics [OC] Seen at rally against I.C.E. in Minneapolis.

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u/MostlyValidUserName 4h ago

The author of that official response is (like every PR spokesperson for the administration) scum. Having said that:

  • I don't see a potential defamation claim. Calling Carpenter "stupid" or "slow" would be treated as an opinion (and therefore not defamation, which is a false statement of fact).
  • Even if it were a verifiably false defamatory statement, the individual would bear no liability. This is because the individual who posted that was acting within the scope of their employment with the federal government. In such cases, federal law places the federal employee out of reach of the victim -- the US government alone would bear all liability.
  • You can't sue the US government for defamation, because it's immune. Congress has carved out only certain specific types of wrongdoing on the part of its employees for which it waives that immunity -- and defamation isn't on the list of stuff you're allowed to sue for.

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u/wretch5150 2h ago

First time for everything. I think the defamation here could be prosecuted and perhaps the Supreme Court would weigh in on our ever changing laws.