The issue of third-party litigation funding has taken center stage in the federal defamation case filed against CNN by legal scholar Alan Dershowitz, with CNN’s attorneys arguing that the funders of Dershowitz’s lawsuit are bent on “silencing” the cable news channel.  

The defamation suit was filed in the Southern District of Florida late last year. Dershowitz’s attorneys allege that CNN presented a “false narrative” of what Dershowitz said during the 2020 impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump. CNN’s coverage falsely portrayed Dershowitz as saying Trump could engage in illegal acts and still be immune from impeachment, the complaint says.

CNN’s recent court filings point to what defense attorneys say are inconsistent statements Dershowitz’s attorneys have made regarding the funding of the defamation lawsuit through the “Alan Dershowitz Legal Defense Trust.” Plaintiffs initially said they would disclose contributors to the fund but later declined, according to a motion filed by CNN’s attorneys.