'Bullied' MAGA Hat Teen Sues Washington Post for $250M

Lawsuit accuses paper of 'smearing' Nicholas Sandmann
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 20, 2019 4:03 AM CST
Updated Feb 20, 2019 6:39 AM CST
'Bullied' MAGA Hat Teen Sues WaPo for $250M
A police car sits in front of Covington Catholic High School in Park Kills, Ky., Saturday, Jan 19, 2019.   (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

The teenager at the center of the Lincoln Memorial incident that sparked a massive controversy last month is suing the Washington Post for $250 million—and his lawyers say it is "only the beginning." The suit filed in federal court in Kentucky on behalf of 16-year-old Nicholas Sandmann claims the Post "wrongfully targeted and bullied Nicholas because he was the white, Catholic student wearing a red 'Make America Great Again' souvenir cap," reports Reuters. Nicholas, a student at Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky, was accused of bigotry after he was filmed standing inches in front of a Native American protester and smiling, though he later said he was trying to defuse the situation and videos emerged that showed Nicholas and fellow students did not initiate the encounter.

The lawsuit, which seeks compensatory and punitive damages, accuses the newspaper of "smearing a young boy" by "publishing a series of false and defamatory print and online articles." The Post—which is being sued for the same amount Jeff Bezos bought it for in 2013—says it is reviewing the lawsuit and it plans to mount a "vigorous defense," CNN reports. Nicholas' lawyers have been busy: Fox reports that more than 50 letters ahead of possible libel and defamation lawsuits were sent out earlier this month to the New York Times, CNN, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Alyssa Milano, and Jim Carrey, among others. (Nathan Phillips, the Native American elder, says he thinks Nicholas should apologize to him.)

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