President Trump was rightly castigated when he said that libel laws should be changed to make it harder to criticize public figures. The U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court’s ruling against Berisha, citing a series of decisions including New York Times vs. Sullivan. Three years later, the court extended the Sullivan decision by holding that not only public officials but also public figures must meet that heavier burden. Thomas’ willingness to hear Berisha’s appeal wasn’t a surprise; he criticized New York Times vs. Sullivan in a 2019 opinion. But none of those changes justifies overruling New York Times vs. Sullivan and subsequent decisions.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 19, 2021 09:56 UTC