Christmas Is Coming, after all

BARTIROMO: Were you in Vienna w/Shokin?

NUNES: Because there is criminal activity here, I'm not going to sit here & try to compete against the media

B: To be clear, you're telling me CNN committed criminal activity?

N: It's very likely, or they're an accessory to it, right? pic.twitter.com/epHJN0V7gK

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 24, 2019

To be perfectly clear, if you don't want to watch the video:  Nunes all but announces he will take CNN to court.

“Just to be clear, you’re saying you’re suing CNN,” Bartiromo pressed. “You’re telling me that CNN committed criminal activity?”

“It’s very likely. Or they’re an accessory to it, right? So none of this is true,” Nunes shot back. “The sad part is, I’m the last guy that wants to go into the courts, but the media has become totally corrupt that now they’re willing to actually engage and help with criminals, indicted criminals. These people are sick, and the only way they’re going to be held accountable is through the court system. And It’s the only chance I have to actually get the facts out for the American people because they can’t lie to a court.”

Of course, under the Sullivan decision, it's all but impossible to slander a public official.  That's one problem.  The other is, even without Sullivan, you can't shoot the messenger:

CNN reported what Lev’s lawyer publicly announced. https://t.co/jtxnalkXvQ

— Devin Nunes’ cow 🐮 (@DevinCow) November 24, 2019

Aside from those constitutional and legal obstacles, there are reasons most public officials in America don't sue for slander.  One is that truth is an absolute defense, and a slander suit can just end proving the truth of what was reported, especially when Nunes won't even deny it in this interview:

“I can’t deny something because I’m suing the media outlet that reported it” shows just how deep in it Nunes really is.

— Landon Hall (@LandonHall) November 24, 2019

The other is the matter of discovery, no matter how the lawsuit resolves:

Dear @DevinNunes,

Please file the lawsuit against @CNN so they can get discovery, depose you and ask you questions under oath that you have been dodging for years.

CNN's lawyers will move so far up your ass that they will have to file a change of address with the post office.

— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) November 24, 2019

Colorful but accurate description of what the discovery process is like in a civil case.  It would make Nunes' head explode, and it's the reason he, like Trump, has never sued anybody with enough money to make his life miserable.  Because almost nothing in civil discovery is privileged; CNN could publish almost every bit of it.

Which is why it would be such a Xmas present!