A federal judge dismissed Laura Loomer's defamation lawsuit against comedian Bill Maher on Wednesday, siding with Maher regarding a comment he made insinuating that the far-right activist had an affair with former President Donald Trump.
U.S. District Judge James Moody's 18-page ruling emphasized that Maher was clearly joking during a September 2024 episode of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher." The judge noted that the context of the episode was filled with humor and speculation about Loomer's relationship with Trump, leading a reasonable viewer to interpret Maher's remarks as comedic rather than factual.
In the episode, Maher quipped, “We did an editorial here a few years ago…it was basically, who’s Trump f------?” He followed up with, “I think it might be Laura Loomer.” This comment came shortly after Loomer attended a presidential debate and a 9/11 memorial alongside Trump, as well as flying on his private jet.
Moody pointed out that Loomer did not demonstrate any reputational damage or loss of income due to Maher's comments. In fact, she testified that her earnings increased in 2024 compared to previous years. The judge also mentioned that Trump continues to seek her opinions and invites her to the White House.
In response to the ruling, Loomer expressed her outrage on X, stating that Moody's decision was "outrageous" and should be appealed, potentially reaching the Supreme Court. She argued, “It is beyond the pale for any judge to say that a woman can be accused of having sex with a man and have it be brushed off as 'a joke' just because she proclaimed a platonic love for their politics and leadership style.” Loomer characterized the ruling as "totally dishonest and misogynistic."
Neither Loomer nor representatives for Maher and HBO provided immediate comments following the ruling. During the proceedings, Maher testified that his joke stemmed from Loomer and Trump's "sudden closeness in the news that week," according to court documents.
Maher elaborated, “I could have shown a video of them together and all the places they were together and all the things that were going on, the ‘I love you’ the ‘I love you,’ the blowing of the kisses, you’re very special, all this stuff, and then just said, ‘Hey, get a room.’ It’s just — this is just comedy. This is — these are jokes.”
Loomer has positioned herself as a staunch ally of Trump, gaining notoriety during his first term when she faced bans from various social media platforms and services due to her controversial posts. She has also promoted numerous conspiracy theories, including claims regarding 9/11 and unfounded allegations about Haitian immigrants.
The dismissal of Loomer's case follows another recent ruling where a federal judge rejected a defamation lawsuit filed by FBI Director Kash Patel against former MSNBC contributor Frank Figliuzzi over comments made on-air regarding Patel's alleged partying. Patel has since filed a separate defamation suit against The Atlantic concerning an article that claimed he drinks excessively and has unexplained absences during his FBI tenure; The Atlantic maintains its reporting is accurate.
