The sister-in-law of former three-star Army general and Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn has filed a massive lawsuit against propaganda mill CNN for alleged false reporting concerning an association with the “QAnon” conspiracy theory.
Valerie Flynn is accusing the network of deceptive video editing to make it seem as though she was pledging allegiance to the conspiracy group.
“CNN abandoned all journalistic standards and integrity, including CNN’s own standards and code of ethics, in writing, editing, and publishing the false narrative,” the lawsuit alleges, as reported by The Blaze. “CNN did not seek the truth or report it. It betrayed the truth to sensationalize the news for self-glory, profit and politics.”
The suit states that Valerie Flynn is no supporter of QAnon, which has been characterized as a “violent extremist group.” In addition, the suit further alleges CNN’s report subjected her to “public scorn, ridicule and contempt, and lowered her esteem in the community, causing insult, embarrassment, humiliation and substantial injury to her reputation.”
The suit seeks $25 million in actual damages and another $75 million in punitive damages, The Blaze reported, adding:
Part of CNN’s claims involve the use of the phrase “Where we go one, we go all,” which is used by members of QAnon to identify each other. The Flynns say that Michael Flynn’s use of the phrase had nothing to do with the conspiracy group.
“According to some, the phrase ‘where we go one, we go all’ was first engraved on a bell on one of President John F. Kennedy’s sailboats, acknowledging the unity of mankind,” read a footnote in the family’s lawsuit.
“Enough is enough with CNN, and the lies about our family,” said Leslie Flynn in a statement about a separate lawsuit she and husband John “Jack” Flynn, Michael Flynn’s brother, filed against the network last year. “We cannot sit by any longer and allow CNN to disparage our good name. This has got to stop.”
“John and Leslie Flynn claim that a CNN segment dedicated to exposing the QAnon movement featured footage of the couple at a Fourth of July barbecue in Rhode Island,” The Blaze noted in a separate report.
“The lawsuit disputes that the ‘WWG1WGA’ slogan, which is routinely used on QAnon merchandise and by adherents on social media and at rallies, is linked to the conspiracy theory,” Newsweek added in March 2021. “Flynn’s phrase, it said, was inspired by an inscription ‘engraved on a bell on one of President John F. Kennedy’s sailboats, acknowledging the unity of mankind.'”
“Plaintiffs are not followers or supporters of any extremist or terrorist groups, including QAnon,” the lawsuit states, according to The Hill. “CNN falsely attributed to Plaintiffs associations that never existed, actions Plaintiffs never took, including an oath of allegiance to QAnon, and views Plaintiffs never held.”
“CNN’s false attributions exposed Plaintiffs to public scorn, ridicule and contempt, and lowered their esteem in the community, causing insult, embarrassment, humiliation and substantial injury to Plaintiffs’ reputations,” the suit claimed.
“CNN falsely accused Plaintiffs of being ‘followers’ and supporters of the ‘dangerous,’ ‘violent,’ ‘racist,’ ‘extremist,’ ‘insurrectionist,’ ‘domestic terrorism movement – QAnon,” the suit alleged, Just The News added.
The lawsuit alleges that after “the January 6 storming of the Capitol, a chorus of left-wing media outlets began to spread false narratives about QAnon, including that Jack Flynn’s brother, retired Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn (‘General Flynn’), was the ‘founder’ of QAnon.”
Steven S. Biss, a lawyer for John and Leslie Flynn, accused CNN of being “a Democratic Party trumpet that foreswore its role as an impartial reporter of facts and joined with political partisans in an overall plan or scheme to discredit the character of the Flynns. For that, it must be held accountable by a jury.”
