Congressman Devin Nunes from California has become a lawsuit junkie, suing anyone who has upset or criticized him. That includes a fake cow, a real farmer in Dinuba, California and Esquire Magazine over a story regarding his family’s dairy operation in Iowa.
Well, his career as an inveterate litigant was dealt another blow today.
From the Sacramento Bee:
Rep. Devin Nunes cannot sue Esquire magazine over a 2018 story that described his family’s farm in Iowa, a federal judge ruled Wednesday, marking the congressman’s second loss in the cluster of lawsuits he filed against news organizations and critics.
The ruling by Judge C.J. Williams of the Northern District of Iowa federal court centered on a story titled “Devin Nunes’ Family Farm Is Hiding a Politically Explosive Secret” by Ryan Lizza, who now is a political correspondent for Politico.
The so-called secret in the story was that the family had moved its dairy operation to Iowa in a community that relied on labor from undocumented immigrants. Nunes does not have a financial stake in the dairy, which is owned by his parents and brother.
The story above appeared in a McClatchey owned newspaper. Nunes is also suing them.
Now I’m not exactly Learned Hand, but I do know that you have to have standing to bring a lawsuit. Apparently Nunes has none in this case.
The story that brought the lawsuit was written by Ryan Lizza and was published in Esquire in September 2018. Here’s the link to the original story.
Nunes has gained national attention for his hobby for suing his critics, including the celebrated Devin Nunes’ Cow Twitter account, and a peach farmer in Dinuba, California who had stated that Mr. Nunes was not a farmer as claimed by the Congressman.
So far, so good Devin. Keep up the great work! And expect a motion for costs for the Esquire Case.
And, btw, just who is financing your little judicial jihad anyway?