Holtz sues The Daily Beast for defamation over article
Lou Holtz, a Hall of Fame football coach and Orlando resident, sued The Daily Beast on Wednesday over an article that claimed he called immigrants “deadbeats” last year at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
The suit, filed in federal court in Orlando, accuses the news website of defamation for publishing a July 19, 2016, article headlined “Lou Holtz at RNC Said Immigrants are Deadbeats Invading the US.”
After Holtz complained, The Daily Beast changed the headline in October — it now reads “Holtz Goes on Immigrant-Bashing RNC Rant” — and issued a correction that said Holtz “did not say that immigrants are ‘deadbeats,’ and we sincerely regret this error.”
Holtz’s lawsuit argues the new headline still falsely portrays his comments and the change was made only after more than a dozen online outlets had repeated the erroneous headline.
Holtz lost paid speaking opportunities and suffered “mental anguish … personal humiliation and
distress” because of the article, according to the lawsuit, which seeks more than $75,000 in damages.
The Daily Beast did not respond to a request for comment.
Holtz’s attorney, Clay Townsend of Morgan & Morgan, confirmed the suit had been filed but declined to comment further.
In its article, the outlet quoted Holtz describing the influx of immigrants as an “invasion” and arguing they should learn English and “become us.”
“I don’t want to become you,” it quoted Holtz saying, prompting applause. “I don’t want to speak your language, I don’t want to celebrate your holidays, I sure as hell don’t want to cheer for your soccer team!”
The suit says Holtz was relating advice from his grandmother, an immigrant, on the importance of assimilation. The soccer remark, his attorneys argue, was “a joke that you would expect to hear from a lifelong football fan, football coach, and football commentator.”
The suit argues the article ignored the talk’s central topic — his opposition to abortion — to portray his speech as “mean spirited and related to bashing immigrants.”
Holtz’s remarks came during a Republican National Coalition for Life luncheon in honor of Phyllis Schlafly, a conservative lawyer and activist known for her anti-abortion politics. She died months later.
“Mr. Holtz has the utmost respect for his grandparents and all immigrants who follow the law and find the American dream in this country,” the lawsuit says. “The substance or gist of Mr. Holtz’s statements was not that all immigrants are ‘deadbeats.’ ”
As a public figure, Holtz faces the challenge of proving The Daily Beast was not just wrong, but negligent, said First Amendment attorney Jon Kaney, who is not involved in the case. He said the outlet could also argue its wording was “substantially” true, given Holtz’s other critical remarks about immigrants.
“It’s his burden to show that there’s a difference, and that is not a strong word, ‘deadbeat,’ ” Kaney said.
Holtz, best known as University of Notre Dame’s head coach from 1986 through 1996 and as a former commentator for CBS Sports and ESPN, has long been active in Republican politics. He was a vocal supporter of Donald Trump during last year’s presidential election.
Holtz was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009. He lives in Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in southeast Orlando.