Tosses libel lawsuit by Russian oligarch....

Judge tosses libel lawsuit against AP by Russian oligarch tied to Manafort

By JOSH GERSTEIN

A federal judge has tossed out a libel lawsuit filed against The Associated Press by a Russian oligarch whose business dealings with former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort have come under scrutiny by investigators probing Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election.

Russian industrialist and investor Oleg Deripaska sued the AP in May, alleging that the news outlet falsely implied that Deripaska was paying Manafort for work aimed at advancing the goals of the Russian government and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The suit also said a widely-publicized article published by the AP in March created a false impression that Deripaska's dealings with Manafort were intertwined with the Trump campaign, despite the fact that the two men ended their work together by 2009.

However, U.S. District Court Judge Ellen Huvelle dismissed the case Tuesday. She concluded that Deripaska is a "limited-purpose public figure" under American libel law. That triggered a need for the Russian businessman to allege the AP knew its story was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth, which she said he had not done.

"Deripaska is no stranger to news coverage related to his role as a Russian oligarch and one of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s closest confidantes," wrote Huvelle.

"The Court notes that Deripaska does not dispute any material facts presented in the AP’s discussion of the factual background as it relates to Deripaska’s biography and his role in advancing Russian interests internationally. ... Given this concession and the many articles cited that reference Deripaska on this topic ... there can be no doubt a public controversy exists relating to Russian oligarchs acting on behalf of the Russian government."

Huvelle also said Deripaska wasn't simply a bystander in that public debate. but "has certainly 'thrust himself to the forefront” of it, telling reporters: "I don't separate myself from the [Russian] state."

The judge said Deripaska's claim that the AP omitted key details about his involvement in Ukraine's political scene in 2005 — at the time of his involvement with Manafort — didn't clear the bar for showing AP knowingly misstated the facts.

"This simply is not enough to make out a plausible case of actual malice," wrote Huvelle, a Clinton appointee based in Washington.

Lawyers for Deripaska did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the ruling. The Associated Press expressed satisfaction with the ruling.

"The Associated Press is pleased with the court's decision. As we have said, we stand by our reporting and will continue to stand by our story," spokeswoman Lauren Easton said.

In recent weeks, Deripaska was back in the news as it was reported that while Manafort was serving as Trump's top campaign official, he offered to brief the Russian aluminum magnate on the state of the campaign.

"If he needs private briefings, we can accommodate," Manafort wrote, according to the Washington Post.

Email exchanges turned over to investigators reportedly also contain references to "black caviar," an apparent nod to the money Manafort was paid for his previous work. A Manafort spokesman said the exchange referred to an effort to collect past debts.

There's no indication the briefing ever took place.