Carter Page Strikes Back with Defamation Lawsuit Against the DNC and Perkins Coie in First of Multiple Actions in Wake of Historic FISA Abuse
CHICAGO, Jan. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On behalf of Dr. Carter Page, national litigation firm, Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht LLP, filed a lawsuit in federal court this morning against the Democratic National Committee and Perkins Coie LLP. The suit alleges that as part of their effort to oppose the Trump campaign, the Democratic National Committee and its agent, Perkins Coie LLP, deliberately undertook to produce opposition research, resulting in the spread of false information about Dr. Carter Page that ruined his reputation and businesses. The suit claims that Defendants leveraged their influence with the news media to suggest to the public that Dr. Page was an agent of a foreign power, Russia. This defamatory information made its way to the FBI, where it was used – along with the surrounding media coverage – as a basis to submit to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (the "FISC") improper and inaccurate applications for FISA surveillance authority over Dr. Page. This led to the FISC approving now-admittedly abusive FISA surveillance against Dr. Page in an extraordinary and devastating violation of individual liberty.
The complaint states that the Defendants undertook to hire Fusion GPS and Christopher Steele to create salacious information about people associated with the presidential campaign of Donald Trump, including Dr. Page. As part of this effort, Steele prepared a dossier of false information, which included accusations that Dr. Page had colluded with senior Russian officials—Igor Sechin and Igor Divyekin. The Defendants then directed the defamatory information be disseminated to the press and ultimately the public, which painted Dr. Page as a Russian agent. As a result, Dr. Page's reputation has been irreparably harmed, his business prospects devastated, and he has been forced to essentially live a fugitive life for years following numerous death threats.
The complaint further alleges that the Defendants, through Steele, also passed this information to the FBI, resulting in that agency's commencement of a counter-intelligence investigation into Dr. Page. The information in the Steele dossier was a substantial basis for the FBI submitting multiple, inaccurate applications for FISA surveillance authority to the FISC, which issued the warrants that allowed the FBI to spy on Dr. Page for approximately a year.
The complaint states that the statements spread at the behest of the Defendants have now been shown to be entirely false, arguing that: (1) The Inspector General of the United States Department of Justice concluded in a 478-page report that Fusion GPS' report was nothing but fiction, based entirely on unverified and uncorroborated second-hand information; (2) Robert Mueller's years-long investigation could not establish any basis for the allegations against Dr. Page; and (3) that just a few weeks ago, on January 7, 2020, the Department of Justice itself admitted that at least two of the surveillance warrants obtained against Dr. Page were invalid and were based on material misstatements and omissions.
The complaint alleges causes of action for defamation, false light invasion of privacy, tortious interference, and conspiracy.
Dr. Page has been fighting on his own for years against Defendants, the news media and elements at the highest levels of the United States' law enforcement and intelligence agencies whose wrongful conduct devastated his life. Now, with the litigation team at Pierce Bainbridge by his side, he begins the process of restoring his reputation, remedying the broad-based wrongs perpetrated against him and, most importantly, ensuring this never again happens to an American citizen.
Pierce Bainbridge Global Managing Partner John M. Pierce commended Dr. Page for his resilience since being targeted by a combination of the world's most powerful forces:
"For years, Carter Page stood alone as the DNC, Perkins Coie and officials at the highest levels of the federal government attempted to destroy his life and derail President Trump's 2016 campaign. They failed on both fronts. It is a credit to Dr. Page's strength of character, resilience and patriotism that he was not broken by this onslaught. He no longer stands alone. Today, Pierce Bainbridge and Dr. Page begin a campaign to restore Dr. Page's name and hold those who targeted him accountable. Most importantly, this is a first step to ensure that the full extent of the FISA abuse that has occurred during the last few years is exposed and remedied. Defendants and those they worked with inside the federal government did not and will not succeed in making America a surveillance state. But this is thanks only to the brave actions of patriotic citizens such as Dr. Page who stand up as individuals to fight for the civil liberties of all Americans. This is only the first salvo. We will follow the evidence wherever it leads, no matter how high, and we will hold all those who conspired to destroy Dr. Page's life along with the Constitution accountable. The rule of law will prevail."
The complaint, available upon request, is Case No. 1:20-cv-00671, Page et al. v. The Democratic National Committee et al. in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
About Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht LLP
Pierce Bainbridge is a top-tier litigation firm that is changing the way companies and individuals approach major disputes. We are relentless, creative, and aggressive, and we're always on the hunt for strategic and tactical advantages that can benefit our clients and secure victory. Our team is composed of the finest trial lawyers from the best law schools who were trained at the biggest law firms in the world. We know how to win – and that's what we do best. Attorneys at our firm have won jury verdicts and settlements totaling well over $3 billion dollars. We provide our clients with a high-stakes litigation force to vindicate and protect their rights.
SOURCE Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht LLP
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