Lawyers representing HuffPost reporter Yashar Ali hit back Friday against Fox News host Eric Bolling’s “frivolous” lawsuit alleging defamation by the reporter. Ali reported last week, based on a dozen sources, that Bolling had sent unsolicited lewd texts—including photographs of male genitalia—to his female colleagues. In response, Bolling filed a defamation lawsuit seeking $50 million in damages. In their response letter—obtained and viewed by The Daily Beast—Ali’s lawyers railed against the “purposefully sparse” lawsuit and noted that Bolling’s initial comment that he “recalls no such” texts does not constitute an official denial of the inappropriate behavior. “We view your decision to sue Mr. Ali in his individual capacity, for $50 million, without also naming the Huffington Post, as a calculated effort to harass and intimidate Mr. Ali personally,” the lawyers added. “It will not work.” The letter additionally cited hateful, racist comments from purported fans of Bolling’s, further fueling their belief that the Fox host’s lawsuit was only meant to harass their client.
—Andrew Kirell
