While Hillary Clinton might be taking some time off post-election to reflect, her attorneys have been hard at work the last few days drafting a motion to dismiss a defamation case filed by the parents of two victims of the 2012 Benghazi, Libya attacks. In the motion, Clinton contends that she never called the parents “liars,” and asks a federal judge to dismiss the case.
“Secretary Clinton’s statements show compassion and respect for Plaintiffs by highlighting ‘the continuing grief’ and ‘the incredible sense of loss’ they must have been experiencing,” Clinton’s attorney, David Kendall, wrote in a 20 page motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
Pat Smith and Charles Woods, the parents of American U.S. Foreign Service member Sean Smith, and Navy SEAL Tyrone Wood claimed that Clinton told them in a private meeting that the attack “was the result of [an] anti-Muslim YouTube video that had been posted online and that the creator of the video would be arrested.” Clinton later said that she never said that. In an interview with Fox on July 31, 2016, she said “I don’t hold any ill feeling for someone who in that moment may not fully recall everything that was or wasn’t said.”
The parents are suing for defamation, wrongful death and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The complaint alleges “Clinton has negligently, recklessly, and/or maliciously defamed Plaintiffs by … directly calling them liars.” However, as Fox News anchor, and attorney Gregg Jarrett pointed out, the plaintiffs’ case is a weak one.
“From a purely legal standpoint, a roll of toilet paper has more value. No one doubts the heartache these parents have endured. And no one should question the valor of their sons who lost their lives. However, this lawsuit is so groundless and specious that it threatens to diminish our memory of them,” Jarrett wrote.
And Clinton’s attorney agreed. Kendall wrote:
In response, Secretary Clinton focused solely on her own recollection of the meeting, stating, “No.” She did not mention Plaintiffs’ recollection of the meeting or suggest a reason why their recollection differed from her own, and she certainly did not accuse them of lying. Secretary Clinton concluded her answer by recognizing Plaintiffs’ “continuing grief” and “loss”
The plaintiffs are represented by Larry Klayman, a longtime thorn in the side of the Clintons. He has filed numerous lawsuits against the Clintons over the years.
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