This website collects cookies to deliver better user experience. Cookie Policy
Accept
Sign In
The Wall Street Publication
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Reading: Evangelical ministry asks Supreme Court to hear defamation case against Southern Poverty Law Center
Share
The Wall Street PublicationThe Wall Street Publication
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.
The Wall Street Publication > Blog > Trending > Evangelical ministry asks Supreme Court to hear defamation case against Southern Poverty Law Center
Trending

Evangelical ministry asks Supreme Court to hear defamation case against Southern Poverty Law Center

Editorial Board Published December 10, 2021
Share
Evangelical ministry asks Supreme Court to hear defamation case against Southern Poverty Law Center
SHARE

An evangelical Christian ministry is asking the Supreme Court to take up its 4-year-old defamation lawsuit against the Southern Poverty Law Center, arguing that the “actual malice” standard established in the court’s landmark New York Times v. Sullivan case should be tossed.

D. James Kennedy Ministries, the namesake of the late pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, sued the SPLC in 2017 after the Birmingham, Alabama-based organization designated the media ministry as a “hate group.”

The ministry says it is far from a hate group and preaches biblical messages, including the tenet that marriage was created to be between a man and a woman.

Lower courts, citing the 1964 actual-malice standard set in Sullivan, have rejected the ministry’s claims. The Sullivan decision states that public figures must prove such malice for a defamation case to proceed.

D. James Kennedy Ministries says it’s time for that standard to be changed. It notes that several current justices have questioned the ruling.

“We think the importance of this case rests on the fact that the Southern Poverty Law Center’s approach of creating their own definition of what constitutes a ‘hate group’ is in itself, a denial of due process,” ministry President Frank Wright said in a telephone interview. “The malice standard is literally unprovable. You can’t look into the soul of someone and say that you’ve seen that they did this act with malice.”

Attorneys for the ministry said in the court filing that the Sullivan decision creates “a more-often-than-not insurmountable bar for a public figure to plead and prove a defamation claim” that goes against “the correct, original understanding of the First Amendment.”

In New York Times v. Sullivan, the Supreme Court ruled in 1964 that “actual malice” is established when a defendant knowingly makes a defamatory statement that is false or makes the statement with a reckless disregard to its accuracy. The decision was made in the appeal of the case in which L.B. Sullivan, the police commissioner of Montgomery, Alabama, successfully sued The Times over an error-filled ad in 1960 that criticized the police force for mistreating civil rights protesters.

Republican-appointed Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil M. Gorsuch have written that it’s time for the Supreme Court to revisit Sullivan. Also taking the position were Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. “when he was working within the government” and Obama-appointed Justice Elena Kagan when she was a law professor, said attorney David Gibbs III, whose National Center for Life & Liberty represents D. James Kennedy Ministries.

“I believe our case is a perfect opportunity for them to make a decision. … We believe that being called a hate group is absolutely contrary to both what we are and the teaching of the Bible and the doctrines of the church and the ministry,” Mr. Gibbs said.

Mr. Wright, a veteran of Christian broadcasting and a former president of the Washington-based National Religious Broadcasters trade group, said he hopes a Supreme Court consideration of the ministry’s case will lead to a more equitable standard for defamation cases.

“In a system of laws like ours, there ought to be a remedy for those who rampantly, willfully, deliberately try to destroy those with whom they disagree,” he said. “That’s a public statement made by the president of the SPLC, [who] said, ‘We’d like to destroy every group listed on our hate map.’”

A spokeswoman for the Southern Poverty Law Center did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

D. James Kennedy Ministries and the Coral Ridge church received threats after the SPLC designation. The church had to spend “probably hundreds of thousands of dollars” on enhanced security, Mr. Wright said. The broadcast ministry is a separate corporation from Coral Ridge, he said, but the groups share a campus.

“We’ve had to remove all signage. The church has had to pay for a police officer to be posted at the church every day,” Mr. Wright said.

He said Coral Ridge operates a 900-student Christian academy across the street from the church campus and is concerned that the SPLC designation could attract “perhaps unstable minds” who would want to harm the facility or its people.

That concern is not without precedent. In August 2012, Floyd Lee Corkins II shot a security guard at the Washington headquarters of the conservative Family Research Council. Corkins said he was influenced by the SPLC’s designation of the Family Research Council as a “hate group.” A federal judge sentenced Corkins to 25 years in prison.

DISCLOSURE: In 1999, the Rev. D. James Kennedy wrote the foreword to reporter Mark A. Kellner’s book, “Y2K — Apocalypse or Opportunity?”

TAGGED:TrendingWall Street Publication
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Instacart President to Depart After Short Stint at Company Instacart President to Depart After Short Stint at Company
Next Article Dueling Accounts Emerge Over ‘Rust’ Set Fatal Shooting Dueling Accounts Emerge Over ‘Rust’ Set Fatal Shooting

Editor's Pick

Nicki Minaj Calls Cardi B’s Daughter ‘Ugly’; Cardi Shoots Again That Nicki’s Son Is Nonverbal Because of Drug Use Throughout Being pregnant

Nicki Minaj Calls Cardi B’s Daughter ‘Ugly’; Cardi Shoots Again That Nicki’s Son Is Nonverbal Because of Drug Use Throughout Being pregnant

Studying Time: 3 minutes The Nicki Minaj vs. Cardi B beef has been occurring for years. Like, mainly for so…

By Editorial Board 4 Min Read
Bruce Bochy out as Rangers supervisor after 3-year stint and the staff’s solely World Collection title
Bruce Bochy out as Rangers supervisor after 3-year stint and the staff’s solely World Collection title

By STEPHEN HAWKINS ARLINGTON, Texas — Bruce Bochy is not going to…

4 Min Read
China opens world’s reported largest span bridge over Beipan River valley to visitors
China opens world’s reported largest span bridge over Beipan River valley to visitors

The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge opened to visitors for the primary time…

3 Min Read

Oponion

France to Sell Jet Fighters to U.A.E.

France to Sell Jet Fighters to U.A.E.

France agreed to sell $19 billion of military aircraft to…

December 3, 2021

Apple Music to Sponsor NFL’s Super Bowl Halftime Show

Listen to article(1 minute)Apple Music is…

September 23, 2022

Jenny McCarthy & Donnie Wahlberg Put up Vacation Card Thirst Lure

Donnie Wahlberg and Jenny McCarthy have…

November 19, 2024

Advantages of Potato Juice on Face: A Pure Skincare Treatment

Study the highest advantages of potato…

February 11, 2025

Trump launches one other salvo in his warfare on Harvard

President Donald Trump on Friday stated…

May 2, 2025

You Might Also Like

Deborah Dalton: Award-Winning Novels and Film
EntertainmentTrending

Deborah Dalton: Award-Winning Novels and Film

Topeka, Kansas. Deborah Dalton’s career has taken a path as remarkable as the worlds she creates on the page. Long…

2 Min Read
“Journey Within” Masterclass with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
LifestyleTrending

“Journey Within” Masterclass with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

World-Renowned Meditation Leader Returns to North Texas Dallas, TX — This fall, the Art of Living Foundation in Dallas will…

5 Min Read
Interview with Canadian Futures Trader: Inside the Journey of a Modern Futures Trader
LifestyleTrending

Interview with Canadian Futures Trader: Inside the Journey of a Modern Futures Trader

Paul, Futures Times: Thanks for joining us today, Chris. To start off, can you tell us about your background and…

7 Min Read
Violet Brandani: Redefining Digital Streaming With Charm and Creativity
EntertainmentTrending

Violet Brandani: Redefining Digital Streaming With Charm and Creativity

In today’s fast-paced digital era, countless creators appear on our screens, but only a few manage to truly capture our…

3 Min Read
The Wall Street Publication

About Us

The Wall Street Publication, a distinguished part of the Enspirers News Group, stands as a beacon of excellence in journalism. Committed to delivering unfiltered global news, we pride ourselves on our trusted coverage of Politics, Business, Technology, and more.

Company

  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement

Contact

  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability

Term of Use

  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices

© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?