Well, well, well—CNN finds itself in yet another legal mess, and this one’s not going away quietly. Mediation talks between the network and Zachary Young, a U.S. Navy veteran and the man accusing CNN of defamation, have officially collapsed. Now it looks like the case is heading to trial in January 2025, and with a potential billion-dollar payout on the line, CNN better buckle up.
Young’s company, Nemex Enterprises, helped evacuate people from Afghanistan during Biden’s disastrous withdrawal. But instead of being hailed as a hero, CNN decided to paint Young as some kind of black-market profiteer, slapping words like “exploit” and “exorbitant” all over their coverage. And when the network aired a segment with Jake Tapper and Alex Marquardt in November 2021, they didn’t hold back—pasting Young’s face on screen and accusing him of charging sky-high prices to desperate Afghans. Now, Young’s reputation and business are in tatters, and he’s not about to let CNN get away with it.
Here’s where it gets interesting: Young isn’t just claiming he was misrepresented—he’s got receipts. His legal team has uncovered internal CNN emails where staff openly questioned the accuracy of the story. They even admitted the reporting was “a mess,” “incomplete,” and “full of holes like Swiss cheese.” But they aired it anyway. And Marquardt, the CNN reporter, was so flippant about it that he reportedly referred to Young as “f—ing Young” and joked, “it’s your funeral, bucko.” Classy.
Naturally, CNN argues they didn’t mean any harm. According to them, this was all just journalistic “bravado” and a sincere belief in their reporting. Right. Because we all know how seriously CNN takes their responsibility to “get it right,” don’t we?
What makes this case stand out is how clearly they ignored their own internal doubts and charged ahead anyway. Now, thanks to Young’s persistence and a Florida judge clearing the way for subpoenas, CNN is going to have to open up their books and possibly face a massive financial hit.
And now, they’re facing another defamation suit from North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. And judging by the lawsuit, it’s clear Robinson isn’t pulling any punches. He’s suing the network for their recent report claiming he made explicit and offensive posts on a porn site’s message board, alleging CNN published the story with reckless disregard for the truth. If there’s one thing CNN seems to enjoy, it’s painting conservatives as the bad guys—accuracy be damned.
Robinson has flatly denied any involvement with the posts and is calling this hit piece a “high-tech lynching” aimed at derailing his campaign for governor. And let’s not pretend this isn’t part of a larger, coordinated effort. CNN practically gift-wrapped this scandal for Democrats like Josh Stein, who’s been happy to ride the wave of negative press, trying to make Robinson look unfit for office.
CNN’s story came out in mid-September, and the timing couldn’t have been better for Stein. The polls have already been shifting in his favor, and with early voting just kicking off, it’s no surprise that Democrats are milking this for all it’s worth. Robinson’s response? A $50 million defamation suit, claiming the network was more interested in dragging his name through the mud than in getting the facts straight.
According to the lawsuit, Robinson’s personal data had been compromised in multiple breaches, and CNN still went ahead with the report, connecting him to posts that sound like something ripped straight from a tabloid. From calling himself a “black NAZI” to praising Hitler—seriously? It’s almost cartoonish how far CNN will go to smear someone they don’t like. And what’s worse, they didn’t just stop at Robinson. They threw in allegations from a Greensboro punk rocker who claimed Robinson was a frequent customer at a porn shop. Because when all else fails, find a guy with a guitar and a grudge.
But this isn’t just about one lawsuit. The fallout from CNN’s hit piece has been swift. Robinson’s campaign staffers jumped ship, and the Republican Governors Association pulled back its support. Even Trump, who once dubbed Robinson “Martin Luther King on steroids,” has kept his distance. The Democrats, from Kamala Harris on down, are wasting no time trying to capitalize on this, running ads linking their opponents to Robinson.
The truest test of a leader is how he handles times of great challenges.
When the chips are down, does he cower in fear or does he stand up and fight?
You and your families deserve a leader that will fight for you.
If you put your trust in me, I promise I will not let you… pic.twitter.com/EOhwnC2TaX
— Mark Robinson (@markrobinsonNC) October 15, 2024
But Robinson isn’t backing down. His campaign may have ditched TV commercials for now, but he’s still hitting the ground with in-person stops, focusing on what he does best—talking directly to the people. This lawsuit might just be the spark he needs to rally his base, especially those fed up with the mainstream media’s blatant bias.
So, as the dust settles and the legal battles heat up, one thing is certain—the battles with CNN are far from over, and it’s going to be one for the books.
