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BuzzFeed wins lawsuit over unproven Trump dossier that recounted activities involving Russia

The BuzzFeed website is displayed on an iPad held by an Associated Press staffer in Los Angeles, on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. AP Photo/Richard Vogel

A federal judge has ruled in favour of BuzzFeed, which had been sued by a businessman for defamation over its publication of an unproven dossier on President Donald Trump’s purported activities involving Russia and allegations of Russian interference during the 2016 U.S. election.

Judge Ursula Ungaro ruled Wednesday in Miami federal court that BuzzFeed cannot be found liable for publishing a document that had become the subject of official government conduct.

Coverage of Donald Trump on Globalnews.ca:

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Businessman Aleksej Gubarev said he and his companies were falsely linked in the dossier to Russia-backed computer hacking of Democratic Party figures.

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Gubarev, who is based in Cyprus, sought unspecified damages from BuzzFeed and its top editor, Ben Smith, for the lawsuit’s libel and slander claims.

READ MORE: Donald Trump’s lawyer files lawsuit against BuzzFeed for publishing Russia dossier

The judge said BuzzFeed’s article was “fair and true.”

Gubarev has filed a notice of appeal.

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