A 139-year-old Massachusetts newspaper forced to close after a $1.1 million defamation settlement exposes the vulnerability of local journalism to legal attacks.
At a Glance
- Everett Leader Herald to shut down after 139 years due to a $1.1 million defamation settlement
- Mayor Carlo DeMaria sued the newspaper for publishing false stories to damage his reputation
- Evidence suggests a three-year campaign by the newspaper to fabricate articles against DeMaria
- The case highlights the challenges media organizations face when confronted with expensive litigation
Local Newspaper Pays Heavy Price for Alleged Smear Campaign
The news media is feeling the heat lately, with a series of victories – including one in favor of President Trump after he sued CNN – setting back fake news journalists. The latest example comes out of Massachusetts, where a settlement in an alleged defamation case forced a long-standing newspaper to shut down. The Everett Leader Herald, a fixture in its Massachusetts community for nearly 140 years, is closing its doors. The shutdown comes as part of a $1.1 million defamation lawsuit settlement with Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria.
The lawsuit, filed by DeMaria in 2021, alleged that the newspaper published false stories about kickback schemes and extortion, deliberately aiming to tarnish the mayor’s reputation. The settlement requires the newspaper’s owner, publisher, and editor to pay the substantial sum within a mere seven days, effectively forcing the publication out of business.
Evidence of Deliberate Misinformation Campaign
What makes this case particularly troubling is the evidence suggesting a concerted effort by the newspaper to spread misinformation. Email communications between the newspaper’s owner, Matthew Philbin, and publisher/editor, Joshua Resnek, reportedly revealed a deliberate plan to discredit Mayor DeMaria. This revelation not only damages the credibility of the Everett Leader Herald but also casts a shadow over the integrity of local journalism as a whole.
“The evidence in this case, which was extraordinary itself, reflected a three-year-long purposeful, intentional campaign to fabricate articles accusing the mayor of crimes that the defendants knew were fabricated,” DeMaria’s attorney, Jeff Robbins, said.
While the newspaper’s attorneys argued that DeMaria was not harmed by the articles, the mayor’s legal team successfully contended that he suffered significant reputational damage and emotional distress. The settlement’s magnitude suggests that the court found merit in these claims, setting a precedent that could have far-reaching implications for media organizations across the country.
“I, like other people, note the lack of trust that Americans have in the media, wrongly or rightly or both. This is the kind of set of facts which really does damage to journalists who work their tails off to do the right thing,” Robbins added.
Maybe newspapers will start being more careful with what they say about people…
