Scott McIntosh , Idaho Statesman; What a trial 300 years ago tells us about Trump’s media lawsuits
"President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against CBS News reminded me of a famous legal case that I teach my journalism students each semester at Boise State University.
It’s known as the Zenger trial...
By doing such things as suing media outlets, canceling subscriptions to Politico, threatening funding to NPR and PBS, barring the Associated Press from the Oval Office or refusing to answer questions from reporters who list their pronouns, Trump’s attacks on the media are just as petty and just as anathema to American values as then-Gov. William Cosby’s actions back in the early 1700s.
But the Zenger verdict shows just how deeply ingrained in America’s DNA is the recognition of the importance of freedom of the press and the need to protect the press from such government bullying."
