Sarah Palin: Attorneys question New York Times writer as defamation trial closes first day

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Former Alaska governor and one-time Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin returned to federal court on 3 February after testing positive for Covid-19 last month, delaying the start of a trial stemming from her defamation suit against The New York Times.

Ms Palin, who is not vaccinated, was spotted dining at several Manhattan restaurants after her positive results last week, against the city’s public health guidance for infected people to remain isolated.

Jury selection and opening arguments began on Thursday, nearly four years after Ms Palin filed a libel lawsuit against the newspaper over an editorial incorrectly linking a 2011 shooting of congresswoman Gabby Giffords to a map circulated by Ms Palin’s political action committee that circled Democratic districts with crosshairs.

The newspaper quickly corrected the error and apologised to Ms Palin, who has accused the newspaper and then-editorial board editor James Bennet of knowingly publishing false information.

The question central to the jury’s decision is whether they believe the newspaper knowingly published a defamatory statement, “meaning the statement tended to expose the plaintiff to public hatred, contempt, ridicule or disgrace,” according to jury instructions.

David Axelrod, delivering opening remarks on behalf of The New York Times, stressed that the newspaper corrected the error at issue and apologized. The disputed words in the editorial were on the newspaper’s website for 12 hours.

“This wasn’t a political hit job,” he said.

Ms Palin’s attorney Shane Vogt claimed that the newspaper “has a policy against apologizing because they think they can do whatever they want. They are The New York Times.”

He also questioned the trial’s first witness – New York Times feature writer Elizabeth Williamson, who was an editorial board staffer when she wrote a first draft of the editorial, before Mr Bennet added sentences that forced the newspaper to issue a correction.

Outside the courtroom, the ex-governor bumped into Michael Avenatti – who is accused of defrauding Stormy Daniels, who he represented in her legal battle with Donald Trump – during lunch recess. They wished each other good luck, MrAvenatti said he didn’t mean “good luck” in MsPalin’s case specifically but as a general statement.

Before she entered US District Court on Thursday morning, she told reporters that she wants “justice, for people who expect the truth in the media.”

The trial is expected to last a week, and Ms Palin will testify.

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