CNN faces a defamation lawsuit over a 2021 story centered around the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal and a recent ruling could expose financial secrets as the court seeks to determine the cable network’s net worth. The plaintiff, Zachary Young, alleges that CNN smeared his security consulting company, Nemex Enterprises Inc., by implying it illegally profited when helping people flee Afghanistan during the Biden administration's military withdrawal from the country in 2021.
Marquardt referred to him as 'f---ing Young' and quipped, 'it’s your funeral bucko,'' according to the court document. 'On appeal, CNN argues it did not intend to harm; its language was either opinion or ambiguous; and the internal communications were journalistic bravado that reflected a sincere belief in the reporting,' the judges wrote.