MIAMI – A well-known Florida businessman and Republican political fundraiser is suing a left-leaning newspaper for defamation, saying it has “severely damaged” his reputation.
Elliott Broidy filed his lawsuit October 20 against Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Elliott Broidy
Broidy served as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee from 2005 to 2008. He was deputy finance chairman of the RNC from 2017 to 2018. Haaretz is known for its liberal, left-wing stances on domestic and foreign policy issues in Israel.
Broidy, in his 10-page complaint, said he wants vindication for an “egregiously false and defamatory” article Haaretz published – and continues to publish online – about Broidy.
Broidy describes himself in his filing as a “civic-minded businessman who has long contributed his time, resources and advocacy to issues related to foreign policy, combating terrorism, and advancing U.S. national security.”
“In particular, his advocacy and positions regarding the Middle East, including his past litigation with the State of Qatar, have attracted widespread approval and attention and are of significant importance for his reputation and standing, particularly in the Florida community in which he lives and works,” his complaint states.
According to his lawsuit, Haaretz published the allegedly defamatory article September 1.
He claims the article – as reflected in its title, “Elliott Broidy, GOP Fundraiser Pardoned by Trump, Is Secret Partner in Firm Behind pro-Qatar Campaign” – “promulgates the egregiously false proposition” that he was involved in and profited from a “pro-Qatar PR campaign” in Israel “operated” by a firm identified in the article as KOIOS.
KOIOS, according to the filing, is an alleged campaign that is the subject of a widely publicized criminal investigation and prosecution in Israel.
“The article also deliberately and repeatedly sought to portray Mr. Broidy as a hypocrite, given his very public background as a litigant against Qatar and its agents,” the complaint states.
Haaretz, although based in Israel, owns and controls a widely read and lucrative English-language website, Haaretz.com, which operates as separate and distinct from Haaretz.co.il, its Hebrew-language news service.
Haaretz.com specifically and primarily targets Jewish readers in the U.S., including in Florida, home to the third-largest Jewish population in the country – where Broidy resides.
“Haaretz knew and intended that the defamatory article – which differed significantly and materially from the version on Haaretz’s Hebrew website – would be read and would damage Mr. Broidy’s reputation in Florida, including with, among other Florida residents, the Florida Jewish community,” the complaint states.
“As a result of Haaretz publishing the defamatory article, Mr. Broidy’s business associates and acquaintances in Florida have read the article and raised it with him.”
Broidy contends, contrary to the article, he had “no knowledge of or involvement with” and never received any compensation or benefit from the PR campaign.
He also contends he was never a “secret partner” in KOIOS, as Haaretz originally falsely reported.
“Haaretz continues to falsely state in the article that Mr. Broidy was a ‘partner’ in KOIOS, connoting that Mr. Broidy was actively involved in the company’s operations, which Haaretz also knows is false,” the complaint states.
“In fact, Mr. Broidy was never a partner at all but merely a passive investor and shareholder in KOIOS – and after learning of the alleged actions of certain KOIOS personnel from Haaretz’s reporting, he triggered a liquidation of the company to unwind his investment.”
Broidy also argues he never “promoted the interests” of the UAE or Saudi Arabia, or otherwise worked on behalf of either nation.
Such conduct, he explained, would have been illegal absent registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
According to Broidy’s lawsuit, after the article was published, he demanded Haaretz withdraw it, issue a correction, and publicly apologize.
“Other than make the utterly inadequate revisions alleged above, Haaretz refused to do so,” the complaint states. “Haaretz published the article throughout the United States, including in English on its own website and on Apple News and plainly did so and continues to do so with actual knowledge of, or at a minimum with reckless disregard for, the falsity of its statements concerning Mr. Broidy.”
Broidy contends Haaretz’s motives are clear.
“Its reporting and editorial stance are harshly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump, while Mr. Broidy has long been closely and prominently associated with, and a pro-Israel supporter of, both leaders.
“Haaretz cared more about attacking Mr. Broidy – and through him the Prime Minister and the President – than it cared about the truth.”
Broidy seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, costs, and interest.
He is represented by attorneys at Tampa firm Bartlett Loeb Hinds Thompson & Angelos and New York City firm Herschmann Benson Bowen LLP.
