Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard sued Hillary Clinton on Wednesday for defamation, seeking at least $50 million in damages to her image for claiming last year that a “Russian asset” was one of the party’s White House nominee.

The complaint said Clinton’s remarks hurt Gabbard’s presidential candidacy, a Hawaiian U.S. senator, and were motivated by outrage over Clinton’s Democratic nominating contest opponent, Bernie Sanders ‘ endorsement of Gabbard in 2016.

“Clinton got exactly what she wanted by lying about Tulsi – she harmed her political and personal rival’s reputation and ongoing presidential campaign, and started a damaging whisper campaign based on baseless, but vicious, untruths,” said the lawsuit, filed in federal court in New York.

“That’s ridiculous,” Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill said of the lawsuit.

Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee in 2016, had said on a podcast in October that Russians are preparing for a third-party bid for one of the Democratic presidential candidates, but have not named the candidate.

Gabbard Lawsuit State Hillary Clinton Refuses to Apologize

“She’s the favorite of the Russians, they have a bunch of sites and bots and other ways of supporting her so far, and that’s assuming Jill Stein will give it up, which she might not, because she’s also a Russian asset,” Clinton said.

Stein was the candidate of the Green Party in the presidential election in 2016. Merrill stated to Politico after the commentaries on the podcast that Clinton was referring to Gabbard.

The Gabbard lawsuit said Clinton had refused to apologize or withdraw the comments. It describes as “devastating the reputation of a U.S. politician.” Also, state them aware that it is wrong.

“Rep. Gabbard must defend her good name and hold Mrs. Clinton responsible. This lawsuit intends to do just that,” Gabbard’s lawyer, Brian Dunne, said in a statement.

As a public figure, Gabbard must show that the defendant acted to recover damages with actual malice. Additionally, the “rhetorical hyperbole” associate with politics states by U.S. courts constitutionally protect speech. Gabbard has regularly polled single digits in the Democratic race. This is to pick Republican President Donald Trump’s opponent in November’s election. But she has said she won’t run as a third-party candidate. Gabbard said the former first lady, U.S. senator and state secretary was “the embodiment of hypocrisy. Also, added that she personification of the rot that has sicked the Democratic Party for so long.”

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