A judge has tossed out a lawsuit against Donald Trump brought by a Delaware woman who claimed that Trump committed a crime by lying to her. None of that should surprise anyone, but the details in the lawsuit get bizarre.
The plaintiff is Meghan Kelly — not the former FOX News anchor — and she says Trump deceived Christians into thinking he was one of them. She says he’s not a Christian because his actions are decidedly un-Christian.
But here’s the problem: Because Trump lied about being a Christian, she says, other believers followed him, which meant they were sinning. And because they sinned, they’re now doomed to go to Hell. And because they’re going to Hell, that means she “will not be able to love them for eternity.”
Kelly, who may be a lawyer and former candidate for Delaware State House, says Trump needs to be punished for this lie.
The judge was required to take her seriously, but the response to her lawsuit was (unintentionally) hilarious. For example, just look at how the judge explained why Kelly doesn’t have legal standing for this lawsuit:
… Kelly has standing to bring her claims if she proves an injury, that the injury was caused by the allegedly wrongful conduct and that it is likely to be remedied by a favorable decision. Kelly fails to meet the first two elements of standing because she has not shown an actual or concrete injury to her caused by Trump’s conduct. She claims to be persecuted by private citizens for her criticism of Trump’s support of one religious belief, and suppression of others, substantially burdening her freedom to exercise religion. She also alleges she will suffer eternal harm because “she will not be able to share a fuller type of love with the people [Trump] misleads to hell,” who “will cease to exist.” She does not show Trump’s actions have caused harm to her personally. Her contentions are too remote and vague to be actionable.
In other words, Trump may be a moral monster, but you can’t prove that MAGA cult members will spend the afterlife in a pit of fire.
The judge gives her a few pats on the head for her sincerity, though:
It is clear that Kelly has strong religious beliefs and is sincere in her convictions. However, this Court cannot grant the relief she desires. Kelly lacks standing to bring this action because she has not alleged a personal, concrete and particularized harm, or damages, resulting from Trump’s actions, and has not shown that a decision in her favor is likely to remedy the harm.
I don’t say this often, but Donald Trump was somehow on the right side of a lawsuit. No word yet on Kelly’s response. The lawsuit was filed before Trump lost the election, so it may all be moot very soon.
(via Religion Clause. Image via Shutterstock)
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