The District of Columbia now has something to say about the $1 million defamation lawsuit filed by Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder against the Washington City Paper.
D.C. Attorney General Irvin Nathan filed a motion in D.C. Superior Court on Wednesday that seems to side with journalists.
Nathan argues that if the court agrees with Snyder’s claims that the District's anti-SLAPP laws are unconstitutional, it would “cast grave doubt on the validity of that legislation,” The Washington Post reported.
Snyder is suing the paper and one of its writers, David McKenna, over a Nov. 19 article that Snyder says falsely reported he ‘got caught forging names as a telemarketer with Snyder Communication’ as well as ordering the clearing of trees on federally protected land.
Attorneys for the paper had already argued that Snyder’s lawsuit should be dismissed in part under the new Anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation) Act, which the District implemented to protect critics from burdensome legislation.
Snyder argued that only Congress can pass laws affecting D.C. Superior Court procedures and Anti-SLAPP doesn't apply because the City Paper statements in questions were "plainly false" and not about "a matter of public concern,"The Post reported
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