In New York, Sarah Palin, the ex-Governor of Alaska, took the stand in Manhattan federal court on Monday over a defamation lawsuit involving The New York Times. Palin, the former vice-presidential candidate, recounted how a 2017 editorial on gun control deeply impacted her, stating it figuratively “knocked the wind out of her.” With a journalism background, Palin is pursuing unspecified damages in this case.
Palin described the editorial’s publication as a pivotal moment in her life, feeling it left her powerless, impacted her reputation significantly, and plunged her into a challenging ordeal. The contentious article was published in June 2017 after a shooting incident where Congressman Steve Scalise was injured. The newspaper implied Palin’s political committee had fostered a violent atmosphere through a map marked with targets over opposition electoral districts, preceding the 2011 Arizona shooting which seriously injured Gabby Giffords and killed six others.
Although The Times issued a correction the following day, acknowledging the errors regarding the supposed link between political rhetoric and the 2011 shooting, Palin argued this was insufficient. The correction did not mention her by name, leaving her reputation damaged and hard to rehabilitate. She expressed that the media outlet’s erroneous portrayal led to her receiving death threats and intensified public fear.
During cross-examination, the defense highlighted Palin’s continued public presence, noting her millions of followers, her success as a bestselling author, and her ongoing demand as a speaker at Republican events. After her testimony, Palin expressed gratitude for the chance to testify and revealed her confidence in the jury’s decision-making. She reaffirmed her faith in justice and accountability for the press.
In earlier sessions, James Bennet, the former Times editorial page editor, publicly apologized tearfully to Palin for inserting false statements into the editorial. His emotional testimony revealed he was deeply troubled by the mistake and continues to feel remorseful. A previous jury found against Palin in February 2022; however, an appeals court later reinstated the case, citing judge error, which included dismissing the case prematurely.
After the proceedings on Monday ended, both parties urged Judge Jed S. Rakoff for a ruling in their favor before the jury reaches a decision following closing arguments on Tuesday. However, the judge declined, emphasizing that the appellate court clearly intended for the jury to resolve the case.