Court rules against plaintiff, citing evidence he holds extremist views ascribed to him
New York, NY, December 19, 2023 … A federal judge in Missouri has thrown out a defamation lawsuit filed by Darrell McClanahan against ADL (the Anti-Defamation League), saying his case failed to demonstrate a legitimate claim of defamation/libel or invasion of privacy.
McClanahan, a former candidate for political office in Missouri, alleged in his lawsuit that an article published on the ADL website in August 2022 had falsely identified him as member of the KKK and had wrongly labeled him as a white supremacist and antisemite.
In a court order filed on Dec. 15 in Darrell McClanahan v. Anti-Defamation League, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill A. Morris rejected that argument and approved ADL’s motion to dismiss, saying that the plaintiff failed to demonstrate that the information was false or defamatory, and noting that the plaintiff’s own statements made clear that he holds extreme views.
“The Complaint itself reflects that Plaintiff holds the views ascribed to him by the ADL article,” the order reads, further noting that: “In the initial paragraph of the complaint, Plaintiff identifies himself as a “pro-White man. Plaintiff also identifies himself as being an “honorary member of at least two organizations: the Knight’s Party Ku Klux Klan and the League of the South.”
“This lawsuit was frivolous and completely without legal or factual merit from the outset,” said Steven C. Sheinberg, ADL Chief Legal Officer. “We’re pleased that the court agrees with our assessment and has thrown out this case.”
ADL was represented by Joe Slaughter at Ballard Spahr LLP.
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.