Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, has just initiated legal proceedings against an Iowa-based pollster because of a pre-election survey, which projected Vice President Kamala Harris taking the lead in the state. The accused in this unexpected lawsuit include pollster J. Ann Selzer, her firm, The Des Moines Register newspaper, and the publication’s mother company, Gannett. Maintaining the stance that the survey was nothing short of ‘bold election meddling,’ Trump asserted that these entities had engaged in customer deception by conveying a misleading image of the electoral scenario.
Just a month before this legal development, Trump had publicly called for an inquiry into Selzer’s operations. This certainly raises an eyebrow, considering Selzer’s announcement of the closure of her firm was issued shortly after the poll she unveiled, widely considered to be grossly misjudged, failed to accurately predict the presidential election outcome. One can’t help but notice a streak of vindictiveness in his statements.
Selzer had staked her reputation on her long-term polling career in Iowa. She projected a scene of Harris, the Democratic nominee, leading Trump by a minimized margin of three percentage points, standing at 47% as compared to Trump’s 44%. It’s fair to question whether such misinforming polls meant to sway the public’s perception threatened the sanctity and trust in the democratic process.
Trump had, with no minced words, proclaimed the poll to be an ‘utterly forged document, creating an extensive aura of suspicion and confusion during a crucial period.’ He held Selzer accountable for the disruptive ripple her flawed poll created in the public sphere, persisting that she was well aware of the potential for disorder.
He even took it a step further by implying the very real possibility of ‘ELECTION FRAUD.’ Trump’s unfaltering blame was directed not only at Selzer but also at The Des Moines Register, the newspaper behind the promotion of the faulty poll, branding them as ‘currently discredited.’ This outspoken statement further solidifies his determination to underline the dubious nature of Selzer’s operations.
On a recent Monday, the former president announced his decision, with unwavering resolve, to sue Selzer and The Des Moines Register. Trump insisted he felt compelled to take the action, expressing his belief that ideally it should have been the Justice Department or another appropriate body tackling this issue. Yet, Trump asserted, it became essential for him to initiate proceedings, though they entailed hefty financial costs.
As per Trump, ‘Pressing legal charges wasn’t an endeavor I sought after, but felt constrained to undertake. The necessary expenses are considerable, but the need to rectify press misrepresentations remains paramount.’ His vehemence in discrediting Selzer is remarkable.
He did not shy away from indicating his belief about the whole issue, saying, ‘In my perspective, it was nothing less than fraud and illicit interference in the election.’ This categorically negative depiction of Selzer’s surveying operation reveals the gravity Trump attaches to the claims he’s making.
In the aftermath of the election results, Selzer took to The Des Moines Register’s opinion column to make her stance clear on the widely debated polling debacle. Labeling the entire polling situation as a ‘significant blunder,’ she conceded her controversial final poll might have stirred doubts, but remained staunch in defending her career and professional choices.
She maintained that her decision to step away had been decided upon well before the last poll was even conducted. Selzer had informed The Register more than a year ago, she shared, of her decision not to continue her contract due to expire in 2024. It seems she has plans to explore new ventures.
In response to all the hurling accusations, a statement was acquired from a spokesperson for The Des Moines Register. It maintained their stance on the controversy surrounding the pre-election poll, despite it misjudging Trump’s winning margin in Iowa. The statement signified that they had readily released the full demographic details, weighted and unweighted data, cross-tabulations, along with a technical justification from Selzer to corroborate their claim.
The spokesperson’s assertion reiterated that they ‘reposed their faith in their reportage and regarded the lawsuit as wholly unsubstantiated,’ showing blind faith in their misrepresented poll. This raises serious doubts about the credibility of the poll and its sponsor – The Des Moines Register.
Even as Trump undertakes his post-presidential journey, he might foresee similar lawsuits against other media outlets. Widely known for voicing his disagreements in an outspoken manner, it isn’t entirely surprising. The issue of this recent lawsuit coincided closely with the resolution of another legal battle that involved Trump.