Trump Lawsuit Against Iowa Newspaper Dismissed Over 2024 Poll

An Iowa judge has dismissed President Donald Trump's lawsuit against The Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer, rejecting his claim that a pre-election poll showing Kamala Harris leading him in Iowa violated the state's consumer fraud law, Jacob Sullum reported for Reason.

An Iowa judge has dismissed Trump's lawsuit against the Des Moines Register over a pre-election poll conducted by J. Ann Selzer and published by The Des Moines Register. [Photo: Jonathunder, Wikimedia Commons]

The poll, published three days before the 2024 presidential election, showed then-Democratic presidential nominee Harris leading Trump by three percentage points among likely voters.

Trump ultimately won Iowa by more than 13 percentage points.

Trump sued the newspaper and Selzer in December 2024, alleging that the poll constituted consumer fraud and seeking damages for what he described as the time and resources required to respond to the poll's impact. 

Polk County District Judge Scott J. Beattie ruled that the poll and its publication were protected by the First Amendment.

He said opinion polling is inherently uncertain and that treating the poll as fraud merely because its forecast was inaccurate would raise significant constitutional concerns. 

"The First Amendment does not allow anyone in government, least of all the president, to punish people under the banner of 'fake news,'" said Robert Corn-Revere, chief counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which represented Selzer.

The ruling dismissed Trump's case. His legal team has said it plans to appeal, according to Reuters.