ADL Hails Judge’s Rejection of Farrakhan’s $4.8B Defamation Suit

(Photo by Kamil Krzaczyniski/AFP via Getty Images)

The Anti-Defamation League hailed a federal judge’s rejection Friday of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan’s $4.8 billion defamation lawsuit against the ADL and the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

“A Federal Court today dismissed all of Louis Farrakhan’s absurd claims against ADL (and SWC),” the ADL wrote in a statement on X. “Truth is a defense and no, we will not stop calling out antisemitism wherever and whenever we see it. To mark this victory, please take a moment and reflect on Farrakhan, who we believe to be one of America’s most notorious antisemites.

Manhattan federal court Judge Denise Cote delivered Friday’s ruling, rejecting Farrakhan’s $4.8 billion defamation claim for the ADL using his own words against him.

Farrakhan argued the ADL and SWC spread the “false narrative” he was antisemitic, despite his calling Adolf Hitler “a great man,” claiming “Satanic” Jews control the government and Hollywood, and calling Jews “termites.”

“When they talk about Farrakhan, call me a hater, you know how they do – call me an antisemite,” he said in a public speech in 2018. “Stop it, I’m anti-termite.”

Cote dismissed the lawsuit because it failed to provide evidence to their rebukes of Farrakhan having caused him or his organization injuries or pleasing “malice,” the New York Post reported.