Melania Trump Sues Daily Mail, Maryland Blogger Over Escort Allegations

Melania Trump sued the Daily Mail and a Maryland blogger for defamation Thursday, her attorneys said, after the Daily Mail published a story claiming a modeling agency she used to work for also provided escort services to high-end clients.

A statement from the law firm representing the wife of GOP nominee Donald Trump named Mail Online Inc. — the Daily Mail's parent company — and Webster G. Tarpley, a blogger based out of Maryland, as defendants in a suit filed in the state circuit court for Montgomery County.

Trump seeks $150 million in damages.

Within hours of the suit being filed, The Daily Mail and the MailOnline - which have separate editors and reporters - retracted the story.

"The Daily Mail newspaper article stated that there was no support for the allegations, and it provided adamant denials from Mrs. Trump's spokesperson and from Mr. Zampolli," the retraction stated.

"The point of the article was that these allegations could impact the U.S. presidential election even if they are untrue. Mrs. Trump's counsel in the U.S. and the U.K., have stated unequivocally that the allegations about the modeling agencies are false."

The Daily Mail, a British tabloid, published a story two weeks ago, citing a Slovenian magazine, reporting that Melania Trump worked in the 1990s for a New York modeling agency that doubled as an escort service for rich men.

The Mail never explicitly reported that Melania Trump was a hooker — just that the agency she worked for was involved in prostitution. That story was picked up by several news outlets, including Tarpley.

Trump's attorney, Charles Harder, called the claims "100% false and tremendously damaging to her personal and professional reputation" in the statement.

"Defendants broadcast their lies to millions of people throughout the U.S. and the world—without any justification," the statement continued. "Their many lies include, among others, that Mrs. Trump supposedly was an 'escort' in the 1990s before she met her husband. Defendants' actions are so egregious, malicious and harmful to Mrs. Trump that her damages are estimated at $150 million dollars."

Meanwhile, Taplely - who had issued a formal retraction - struck a defiant tone after the lawsuit was filed.

"Melania Trump’s lawsuit against me is without merit," he emailed Patch. "Mrs. Trump is a public figure actively engaged in the Trump for president campaign. We are confident that Mrs. Trump will not be able to meet her high burden of proving the statements published about her on my website were defamatory in any way. Her lawsuit is a blatant attempt to intimidate not only me but journalists of all stripes into remaining silent with regard to public figures.

"This lawsuit is a direct affront to First Amendment principles and free speech in our democratic society."

Harder initially sent notices to several news outlets warning of legal action if the stories are not removed. According to CNN, letters were sent to the Daily Mail, The Week, Inquisitr, Tarpley, Before It's News, Liberal America, LawNewz, Winning Democrats and Bipartisan Report.

Harder represented the wrestler Hulk Hogan in his privacy lawsuit against Gawker Media, which led to the bankruptcy and sale of that company.

Image via Mark Nozell, Flickr, used under Creative Commons