Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk has allowed Donald Trump’s out-of-state lawyer, Daniel Z. Epstein, to represent him in his lawsuit against CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas is overseeing the case involving Trump, with the court handling legal proceedings in the region’s federal jurisdiction.
Trump nominated Judge Kacsmaryk to the court in 2017 to fill the seat vacated by Mary Lou Robinson. The Texas judge has gained national attention for rulings on controversial issues, including abortion rights and LGBTQ+ protections.
The court approved attorney Epstein’s request to participate in this case, even though he isn’t licensed to practice law in Texas. This process is referred to as being admitted pro hac vice, a legal term meaning “for this occasion only.”
To be approved, Epstein had to meet certain requirements—filing a request with the court, designating a local attorney to serve as co-counsel, and agreeing to follow the jurisdiction’s rules. The out-of-state lawyer must also meet any other local requirements, such as paying necessary fees and adhering to ethical guidelines, allowing them to handle the case for the specific instance.
Attorneys representing Trump include Epstein from Boca Raton, Florida; Chris Parker from Amarillo, Texas; and Edward Paltzik from New York, New York. Newsweek reached out to the attorneys for a comment.
Donald Trump vs. CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
President-elect Trump filed a lawsuit against CBS News in October over its 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
The lawsuit challenges “CBS’ partisan and unlawful acts of election and voter interference through malicious, deceptive, and substantial news distortion calculated to confuse, deceive, and mislead the public,” according to court documents.
Trump’s attorneys argued Bill Whitaker’s interview with Harris was edited to “attempt to tip the scales in favor of the Democratic Party as the heated 2024 Presidential Election—which President Trump is leading—approaches its conclusion.”
Trump’s lawsuit centers on an interview segment where Harris was asked about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The interview, aired on October 7, the anniversary of the Israel-Gaza war, included a preview the day before on Face the Nation.
In the clip, Harris gave a lengthy response to Whitaker’s question about Netanyahu’s handling of the Middle East conflict. When the full interview aired, her response was shortened, and her follow-up answer was altered.
“To paper over Kamala’s ‘word salad’ weakness, CBS used its national platform on 60 Minutes to cross the line from the exercise of judgment in reporting to deceitful, deceptive manipulation of news,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit seeks $10 billion in damages for CBS News’ alleged “ongoing false, misleading, and deceptive acts; the attorneys’ fees and costs associated with this action; and such other relief as the court deems just and proper.”
Trump filed the lawsuit to address the harm caused to him, his campaign, and millions of citizens due to CBS’s misleading broadcast.
“Due to CBS’ actions, the public could not distinguish which Kamala they saw in the Interview: the candidate or the actual puppet of a behind-the-scenes editor,” the lawsuit read.
In response, CBS called the lawsuit “completely without merit,” denied editing the interview, and vowed to “vigorously defend” itself.
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