Iowa judge dismisses Trump’s lawsuit against Des Moines Register and pollster, tell me about this news in (https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/23/trump-lawsuit-des-moines-register-and-pollster/)

An Iowa state court judge dismissed President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Des Moines Register, its parent company Gannett, and veteran pollster J. Ann Selzer.

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Background of the Case

The lawsuit stemmed from the famous “Iowa Poll” published in early November 2024, just days before the presidential election. Conducted by Selzer & Co., the survey showed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris leading Trump 47% to 44% in Iowa, a traditionally Republican-leaning state. When the official votes were tallied, Trump won Iowa decisively with approximately 56% of the vote.

The Washington Post

Following the election, Trumpjoined by Republican U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks and former Iowa State Senator Brad Zaunfiled suit. They alleged that the poll had deliberately skewed or fabricated figures to create artificial momentum for Democrats, and they claimed damages under common-law fraud and the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act.

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The Judge’s Ruling

Judge Scott Beattie of Iowa’s Fifth Judicial District dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning the plaintiffs cannot bring the same claim again.

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Key findings from the ruling:

• First Amendment Protection: The judge emphasized that election polling and news reporting constitute core political speech protected by the First Amendment, which shields publishers from liability for political commentary and forecasting.

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• Failure to Meet Fraud Requirements: The court noted that even if one accepted the plaintiffs’ assertions at face value, the case failed under Iowa law. Iowa’s Consumer Fraud Act governs commercial consumer transactions, not political polling. Furthermore, a claim of fraudulent misrepresentation requires proof that false statements were made to induce the plaintiffs to act in reliance upon them, which did not occur here.

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Reactions

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), which defended Selzer, welcomed the dismissal, stating that political discourse and pre-election surveys cannot be penalized in court under allegations of “fake news”. Selzer and the newspaper’s legal representatives reiterated that polling is a social science measuring a snapshot in time, and affirmed the decision as an important protection for press freedom.

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