Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax has filed a $400 million defamation lawsuit against CBS News and CBS Broadcasting over its reporting earlier this year on allegations of sexual assault made against Fairfax by two women.
Fairfax filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia seeking $400 million in damages. He claims that the two accusers made false statements in interview with CBS anchor Gayle King which were later published, promoted and publicized by the network without confirming their accuracy.
“CBS published, promoted, and amplified these false statements during separate interviews with CBS This Morning’s Gayle King broadcast by CBS to a national audience,” the lawsuit claims, according to Fox News.
“We stand by our reporting and we will vigorously defend this lawsuit,” CBS News said in a statement to Variety.
"Fairfax brings this action to restore his reputation and clear his name, ensure the truth prevails, stop the weaponization of false allegations of sexual assault against him, and vindicate his rights under civil law," the lawsuit reads.
The lawsuit says that after the women first went public "with their false allegations in February 2019, CBS aired their interviews despite having ample opportunity and resources to investigate the veracity of their stories. CBS also had information both before and after publishing these defamatory interviews indicating that both allegations had not been corroborated by any independent investigation. Yet, CBS recklessly disregarded whether what [the accusers] were saying was, in fact, true.”
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.