American conservative commentator Candace Owens is at the centre of a global legal storm as French President Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron launch a lawsuit for defamation over reportedly outrageous accusations she made about the country’s First Lady. The lawsuit, growing in reach and claim with an eye to an audience far and wide, accuses Owens of a calculated blizzard of horrific untruths that the Macrons say have spread far and beyond free speech and into the territory of that which is “invasive, dehumanizing, and deeply unjust.”
At the center of the lawsuit are the supposed claims by Owens that Brigitte Macron is “transgender hiding behind a stolen identity” that she was actually born as a male. More disturbing still, the lawsuit details allegations that Owens cited unfounded allegations that Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron are blood relatives having or planning to have sex, and are involved in shadowy intelligence intrigue such as MKUltra. The Macrons, in their official complaint, claim that the damage resulting from these allegations has led to “global humiliation” and “cyber bullying on a large scale.”
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Owens allegedly repeated the defamatory allegations, despite receiving cease-and-desist letters and demands to retract the statements. The Macrons, worn down by what they characterize as a “defamation campaign,” say they had little choice but to file suit. “We gave her every opportunity to back away from these claims,” the couple said in their statement. “But she refused.”
The French head of state and his wife maintain that the image-damaging rumors continue to circulate and have not only damaged their reputations but also cost them a fortune in trying to regain their good name. The lawsuit is as much about accountability, they say, as it is about ending what they call “profit-driven lies.” Owens, undaunted by the worldwide attention, has said she will respond on her show next, on Wednesday. As the story intensifies and becomes an international cause célèbre, the battle between free speech and libel is being fought on a global stage, with reputations, credibility, and international affairs all at stake.
