"Clarence Thomas Urges Reevaluation of Landmark Libel Decision"
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has called for the reconsideration of the landmark 1964 ruling, New York Times v. Sullivan, which made it more difficult for public officials to win libel suits. Thomas argues that the decision, which requires public figures to prove "actual malice" in defamation cases, allows media organizations to make false accusations against public figures with near impunity. He believes that the decision has no basis in the Constitution and is a policy-driven decision rather than constitutional law. Justice Thomas's latest opinion came in a case brought by Don Blankenship, a former coal company executive and Senate candidate, who sued news organizations for calling him a felon after being convicted of a misdemeanor.
