Judge dismisses Trump’s lawsuit against WSJ over Epstein birthday letter

A federal judge on Monday tossed President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal for reporting on a racy letter he purportedly wrote to commemorate Jeffrey Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003.

U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles concluded that Trump came "nowhere close" to asserting that the newspaper’s actions revealing the existence and contents of the note amounted to the "actual malice" needed for Trump to prevail in a defamation case.

"Quite the opposite," Gayles, a Florida-based Obama appointee, wrote in the 17-page decision.

Gayles emphasized the paper's extensive work to confirm the authenticity of the letter, despite Trump's claim it was a fake, and noted that the article included the president's objection and revealed attempts to contact the FBI and Justice Department for comment. ... Read more

Howard Lutnick will testify to Congress about Jeffrey Epstein next month

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has agreed to appear before Congress next month to face questions about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein that emerged with the release of documents about the convicted sex offender.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee sought Lutnick's testimony as a part of its probe of the investigation into Epstein, who died in jail before he could face federal sex trafficking charges.

Lutnick's transcribed interview is slated for May 6, per two people familiar with the planning. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the committee's chair, announced last month that the commerce secretary had "proactively agreed to appear voluntarily" before the panel after Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) vowed to force a vote to subpoena him. ... Read more