A federal judge has dismissed Laura Loomer’s $150 million defamation lawsuit against comedian Bill Maher over a joke he made on his HBO show, Real Time, suggesting that the far-right activist was having a sexual relationship with Donald Trump.
Florida District Judge James S. Moody ruled that no reasonable person would interpret Maher’s remarks as a factual statement, noting that the joke was delivered in the context of a late-night comedy programme. “The delivery of the episode, by a well-known comedian, in the context of a late-night comedy television series centered around jokes, signaled to viewers that this was not a factual statement about Loomer,” he wrote.
Loomer, a failed congressional candidate, had claimed that the joke caused her “unjustified ridicule, embarrassment, loss of reputation and professional opportunity” and cost her a job at the White House. She blasted the ruling as “totally dishonest and misogynistic” and vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The judge highlighted Loomer’s own controversial reputation, noting that she had declared herself a “proud Islamophobe” and had been banned from multiple social media platforms. He also pointed out that Trump and his chief of staff Susie Wiles had reportedly withdrawn an offer for Loomer to join the campaign in April 2023 over fears of backlash from her bigoted remarks.
Maher, in his deposition, explained that his joke was based on Loomer’s frequent public displays of affection for Trump, including videos where she told him “I love you” and posted pictures with heart-eyes emojis. The judge noted that Maher was not alone in speculating about the nature of their relationship, as “extensive chattering” had already occurred.
This ruling is the latest in a string of failed defamation suits brought by Trump allies against media figures. Earlier on the same day, a federal judge in Texas dismissed a similar suit by FBI Director Kash Patel against former FBI assistant director Frank Figliuzzi.
