Judiciary
Florida choose mentioned federal judgeship earlier than ruling for Trump, getting nominated, articles report
June 24, 2025, 10:43 am CDT
Choose Ed Artau of the Fourth District Courtroom of Attraction in Florida was nominated for a federal judgeship after serving on a panel that refused to toss a defamation case filed by President Donald Trump. (Photograph from the Fourth District Courtroom of Attraction in Florida)
A Florida appeals choose was nominated for a federal judgeship after serving on a panel that refused to toss a defamation case filed by President Donald Trump.
Politico and Bloomberg Legislation allege that Choose Ed Artau of the Fourth District Courtroom of Attraction in Florida was discussing his want for a nomination earlier than his concurrence within the case and the nomination that adopted.
“A Florida state choose was lobbying for a seat on the federal bench,” alleged Politico, which broke the information. “After he sided with the president in a defamation case, Donald Trump gave him one.”
Artau’s concurrence cited Trump’s “faux information” declare and urged overruling U.S. Supreme Courtroom precedent that makes it tougher for public figures to sue for defamation.
The tales are based mostly on Artau’s Senate Judiciary Questionnaire made public by Accountable.US, a progressive group. The web hyperlinks to the questionnaire printed by Accountable.US, Bloomberg Legislation and Politico not work.
The articles have the timeline.
Artau met the final counsel for Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida in November 2024 to debate his curiosity within the federal appointment, the articles report. On Feb. 12, Artau concurred in a panel choice permitting Trump’s lawsuit in opposition to the Pulitzer Prize Board to proceed. Artau met with the White Home counsel’s workplace Feb. 27, and he was nominated to the U.S. District Courtroom for the Southern District of Florida in Might.
Artau stated in his Senate disclosure that nobody concerned within the choice course of mentioned pending circumstances or authorized points with him in a method that may very well be interpreted as searching for assurances about his place.
Trump sued Pulitzer Prize Board members after they rejected his request to rescind the award that it gave to the New York Instances and the Washington Put up for reporting on alleged Russian election interference within the 2016 presidential election. The board stated it performed opinions discovering that no assertions within the successful submissions have been discredited after the prize was awarded.
Trump sued for defamation and conspiracy. Board members sought dismissal for lack of private jurisdiction as a result of just one board member lived in Florida. The appeals court docket allowed the go well with to proceed, discovering ample contacts with the state.
Artau’s concurrence agreed that the Florida courts had jurisdiction. However he stated the deserves of Trump’s claims are essential to the evaluation.
The board’s assertion is actionable as truth, quite than opinion, he stated. Artau additionally stated the assertion constitutes defamation by implication as a result of, because the go well with asserted, the assertion falsely implied that the newspaper studies have been true, despite the fact that they “reported the person elements of the Russia collusion hoax all flawed,” and the studies have been “uncovered as utter fiction.”
“In different phrases,” Artau wrote, “the board members vouched for the reality of reporting that had been debunked by all credible sources charged with investigating the false declare that the president colluded with the Russians to win the 2016 presidential election.”
Artau additionally stated the Supreme Courtroom ought to revisit New York Instances Co. v. Sullivan, which required precise malice for defamation fits in opposition to public officers.
Artau is a graduate of the Georgetown College Legislation Middle and as soon as labored as an affiliate at Proskauer Rose, in accordance with his on-line bio. He’s the son of Cuban immigrants, the Miami Herald studies.
Artau didn’t instantly reply to an ABA Journal e mail requesting remark despatched to an handle listed by the Florida Bar. The Florida courts didn’t instantly reply to the Journal’s request to talk with Artau.
Write a letter to the editor, share a narrative tip or replace, or report an error.
