An attorney for Gabbard suggested that Clinton may have used Secret Service agents to avoid being served notice of the suit.
An attorney for Hillary Clinton has accepted legal documents filed against the 2016 presidential contender by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
Gabbard, a Hawaii Democrat, is suing Clinton for defamation. But several of Gabbard’s attorneys claimed earlier this week that Clinton was actively avoiding notice, in some cases using her Secret Service detail to rebuff Gabbard’s representatives.
Brian Dunne, Gabbard’s lead attorney, said he’s pleased the suit can finally move forward.
“We look forward to finally moving forward on the merits” of the case, Dunne said, crediting the media with Clinton’s about-face.
“Today, after the media picked up this story, Ms. Clinton’s [sic] lawyer changed course and agreed to accept service,” Dune told Fox News in a statement. “We would have preferred that Ms. Clinton just accept federal judicial process in the first instance, without having to be called out by the press, but in any event, Tulsi Gabbard’s lawsuit against her will now be moving forward.”
Fox says it reached out to Clinton’s legal team for comment but—perhaps unsurprisingly—has yet to receive a response.
As late as Thursday, though, Gabbard was telling reporters at a campaign rally that Clinton was unwilling to accept notice of the lawsuit.
“The latest I’ve heard is that it’s what been reported, that she has refused to be served the documents related to the lawsuit,” Gabbard said. “I think this is unfortunate, you know. No one is above the law. This lawsuit is about accountability—not just for me but for all service people and for the American people.”
Dunne says he’s tried to serve legal documents to Clinton at least three times: once to her office, then to her Chappaqua, New York, home and lastly to her attorney’s firm. But the first office turned out to be a mail drop rather than a working office. And in Chappaqua, Clinton’s Secret Service detail denied access.
“I have my concerns about the use of Secret Service agents to interfere with service of federal judicial documents, but I digress,” Dunne told Fox.
Gabbard—as LegalReader reported in January—claims that Clinton referred to her as a “Russian asset” in a podcast. Although Clinton didn’t refer to Gabbard by name, the reference was obvious. According to Gabbard, the accusation was revenge for Gabbard opting to endorse Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primaries.
Clinton, in fact, has become increasingly vocal with 2020’s approach. Despite losing to Donald Trump, one of the least-popular presidential candidates in modern American history, Clinton’s continued trying to influence the upcoming election. Along with implying that Gabbard may be a Russian spy, she’s also blasted Democratic front-runner Bernie Sanders, saying that “nobody likes” the Vermont senator and self-proclaimed socialist.
Sources
Hillary Clinton refusing to be served $50 million defamation lawsuit, Tulsi Gabbard lawyer claims
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