Last week, Jessica Tarlov, a liberal co-host on Fox News Channel's "The Five," accused former Hunter Biden associate Tony Bobulinski of relying on a Trump Super PAC to pay his legal fees. Bobulinski's lawyers demanded a retraction and an apology, but Tarlov only offered a “clarification” of her claim, which was not sufficient in the eyes of Bobulinski's lawyers, who wanted a full retraction. She never made a retraction, and new Bobulinski is suing Tarlov for defamation.
In a newly filed complaint that PJ Media received, Bobulinski and co-plaintiff Stefan Passantino "seek to hold Defendant accountable for her malicious and knowing lies."
"Tony Bobulinski's lawyers' fees have been paid by a Trump Super PAC that's as recent as January,” Tarlov claimed before rehashing a false claim about Donald Trump. “Do you think that a guy who's invested in how much better off he wants the United States to be — and really getting to the bottom of this — would be taking money from the guy who extorted the Ukrainians to get dirt on the Bidens?" she asked.
According to Bobulinski's lawyer, “Mr. Bobulinski has paid over $500,000 in legal fees to numerous lawyers in law firms out of his own pocket since 2020."
Following the demand for an apology and a retraction, Tarlov made the following statement on the subsequent episode of "The Five."
I would like to clarify a comment I made yesterday during our discussion of Tony Bobulinski’s appearance at the congressional hearing. During an exchange with my colleagues about the hearing, I said that Mr. Bobulinski’s lawyer’s fees have been paid for by a Trump Super PAC as recently as January. What was actually said at the hearing was that the law firm representing Mr. Bobulinski was paid by a Trump PAC. I have seen no indication that those payments were made in connection to Mr. Bobulinski’s legal fees, and he denies that they were. Alright.
Bobulinski's lawyers argued that Tarlov's remarks, even if presented as clarification, had the potential to mislead viewers and cast doubt on Bobulinski's testimony. As such, they warned of further legal action if Tarlov did not comply with their request for a retraction and apology — which she did not. Fox Corporation responded to the demand for a retraction by disputing their characterization of her clarification.
Fox Corporation is not named as a co-defendant in the lawsuit.
"In short, the statements Ms. Tarlov made on March 21 were accurate and made clear that Ms. Tarlov was not aware of anything to indicate that payments from a Trump PAC to Elections, LLC were made in connection with Mr. Bobulinski’s legal fees," representatives for Fox News wrote. "We will not issue any further correction."
Related: Fox News Scoffs at Lawsuit Threat From Tony Bobulinski
Bobulinski's lawsuit seeks a total of $30 million in damages: $10 million for the count of defamation and defamation per se, $10 million for the count of defamation by implication, and $10 million for the count of injurious falsehood specifically to Mr. Passantino.
"Specifically, Ms. Tarlov petulantly made it a point during the March 21, 2024, show to later state that her failed retraction attempt was a 'clarification,' not an apology,'" the lawsuit reads. "Furthermore, by saying, 'What was actually said at the hearing,' Ms. Tarlov left the wrong impression with the show’s viewers, which was intentional. Specifically, she intended to convey the belief that it was a matter of determined fact resulting from the hearing, not merely part of a theatrical and nonsensical performance by a democrat representative who also sought to attack Plaintiffs as the source of the evidence, rather than address the evidence presented during the hearing, that Mr. Bobulinski’s legal fees were being paid for by a Trump Super PAC and that Mr. Passantino’s law firm secretly accepted funds from any source other than Mr. Bobulinski for his representation."
The lawsuit alleges that Tarlov "was aware at the time she made them that these false statements invoking President Trump would inflame a segment of the country against Mr. Bobulinski and Mr. Passantino and would falsely cause her viewers to disbelieve Mr. Bobulinski’s sworn testimony."
The lawsuit also points out that "Payments from PACs are also available in public filings, none of which show a Trump-affiliated PAC paying for Mr. Bobulinski’s legal fees."
In a statement to PJ Media, Bobulinski says the lawsuit is not about money:
Today I filed a lawsuit against Ms. Jessica Tarlov of Fox News for defamation. Although I am seeking compensatory, special, and punitive damages from her for the damage her public remarks inflicted on my personal and professional reputation, this is not about money. This is about the truth, for which I have been fighting for four years,” Tony Bobulinski said in a statement. “It is important for media personalities like Ms. Tarlov to understand that lies have consequences. I have consistently told the truth to the American people about the deep corruption of the Biden family and will continue to do, and I have paid my legal expenses arising from my decision to come forward out of my own pocket. I will donate every penny I may be awarded in this suit to a children’s hospital and to support our military Veterans. Ms. Tarlov refused to apologize and sincerely correct the record. I look forward to holding her accountable in a court of law and to continuing to bring the truth to the American people.
UPDATE: Fox News has responded. From a spokesperson:
Jessica Tarlov’s March 21st statements were accurate and made clear that she was not aware of anything to indicate that payments from a Trump PAC to Elections, LLC were made in connection with Tony Bobulinski’s legal fees. We stand by our decision to not issue any further corrections and will vigorously defend against these inaccurate claims.
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