From today’s Complaint in Biden v. Byrne (C.D. Cal.):
Plaintiff brings this action for defamation against Byrne because he has made, published, and repeated false and defamatory statements about Plaintiff, knowing full well that the statements are false, for the purpose of subjecting Plaintiff to harassment, intimidation, and harm. On or about June 27, 2023, Byrne published false statements that Plaintiff “was reaching out to the Iranian government in the fall of 2021” and offering to have Plaintiff’s father, President Joe Biden, “unfreeze” $8 billion in Iranian funds “in return for $800 million being funneled into a numbered account for us.” Byrne further stated falsely that Plaintiff urged the Iranian government that, “if you do this deal with us, it will lubricate other negotiations which have recently started between us.” According to Byrne, “[b]y that, the Iranians believed that Hunter meant the [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] talks, which had restarted in Geneva a month or two previously.” These statements are completely false, and Byrne knew them to be false at the time he made them.
