Attorneys representing the Des Moines Register and former Iowa pollster Ann Selzer asked an Iowa district court judge on Friday to throw out a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over a poll released before the 2024 presidential election.
The lawsuit claims a Selzer poll showing then-Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of Trump in Iowa amounted to consumer fraud. Lawyers for Selzer, the Register, and its parent company argued the lawsuit should be dismissed because the poll is protected under both the First Amendment and the Iowa Constitution.
During Friday’s hearing, Selzer’s attorney, Robert Corn-Revere, argued that Trump’s allegations have no legal basis, saying the case is rooted in misunderstanding how public opinion polling works.
Trump’s attorney, Alan Ostergren, urged the court to allow the lawsuit to proceed, arguing additional investigation is needed into how the poll was conducted and whether any laws were violated.
District Court Judge Scott Beattie did not issue an immediate ruling and said he expects to make a decision within the next several weeks.
Source: Associated Press (AP)
