Donald Trump takes legal action against the Des Moines Register and J. Ann Selzer, accusing them of influencing election outcomes with a fraudulent poll.
Legal Proceedings in Iowa
Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and renowned pollster J. Ann Selzer, citing claims of election interference. The lawsuit, lodged in Polk County, Iowa, under the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act, alleges that the poll falsely depicted Kamala Harris leading in Iowa, a state Trump eventually carried by 13 points. The legal challenge extends to the Des Moines Register, Selzer & Company, and Gannett, the newspaper’s corporate parent.
NEW: Trump filed a civil lawsuit tonight against Ann Selzer, her polling company & the Des Moines register claiming consumer fraud and "brazen election interference" over her Nov 2 poll showing Harris winning. I got a first look at the suit, my take here: https://t.co/N5WYEHdw57
— Tara Palmeri (@tarapalmeri) December 17, 2024
The lawsuit argues the poll aimed to deceive voters and alter the election’s outcome, labeling it as intentional election interference. Trump’s attorneys assert the poll was an attempt to depress Republican turnout and galvanize Democratic momentum, further criticizing Selzer’s reputation despite her past inaccuracies favoring Democrats.
Trump in press conf says "in my opinion it was fraud and it was election interference" when the Des Moines Register ran an Iowa Poll showing Harris leading Trump by 3 percentage points shortly before the election. "We'll probably be filing a major lawsuit against them" he says.
— Jane Norman (@JaneNorman) December 16, 2024
Controversial Polling and Resulting Impact
The contentious poll was released just before the presidential election, influencing public perception. The lawsuit claims: “Contrary to reality and defying credulity, defendants’ Harris Poll was published three days before Election Day and purported to show Harris leading President Trump in Iowa by three points; President Trump ultimately won Iowa by over thirteen points.” This legal dispute sheds light on the influence of polling in electoral processes, raising significant questions about accountability and fairness.
“The Harris Poll was no ‘miss’ but rather an attempt to influence the outcome of the 2024 Presidential Election,” the lawsuit states, adding that “defendants and their cohorts in the Democrat Party hoped that the Harris Poll would create a false narrative of inevitability for Harris in the final week of the 2024 Presidential Election.” – lawsuit.
Following these events, pollster Ann Selzer announced her retirement, although specific reasons were not publicly disclosed. The lawsuit indicates her actions as strategically motivated, coinciding with the upcoming election.
The Broader Implications
This lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and J. Ann Selzer underscores the controversy surrounding media bias and polling accuracy. Trump’s legal actions intent to highlight these issues reflect growing public demands for transparency and impartiality in political disclosures.
“Selzer had prided herself on a mainstream reputation for accuracy despite several far less publicized egregious polling misses in favor of Democrats” and said she “would have the public believe it was merely a coincidence that one of the worst polling misses of her career came just days before the most consequential election in memory, was leaked and happened to go against the Republican candidate.” – lawsuit.
Trump continues to call for investigations into potential election fraud by Selzer and the Des Moines Register. This lawsuit is a significant marker in the ongoing dialogue about media integrity during the electoral cycle.
Sources:
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/12/trump-sues-des-moines-register-pollster-j-ann/
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/12/trump-sues-des-moines-register-pollster-j-ann/