Federal Court Reinstates Rep. Devin Nunes’ Defamation Lawsuit Against Journalist

Representative Devin Nunes, a Republican from California and ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, speaks during the House Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 21, 2019. Andrew Harrer/AFP via Getty Images

A federal court on Wednesday reinstated a defamation lawsuit that was filed by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) over a magazine story about his relatives, coming months after a lower court rejected it.

The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that a lower court incorrectly sided with Ryan Lizza in Nunes’ defamation suit. Lizza wrote a 2018 article for Esquire that alleged Nunes’ family members moved their farming operations to Iowa and employed illegal aliens.