Politico slaps reporter Ryan Lizza with cease-and-desist order after he criticized bosses over Trump coverage: report
Politico has reportedly fired off cease-and-desist letters and threats of legal action against former correspondent Ryan Lizza, who slammed the outlet’s coverage of the Trump administration after his departur𓂃e.
Lizza last week launched his own Substack newsletter called Telos News, his first move since quitting Politico, which placed him on leave last year after news broke of a sexting scandal involving his then-fianc𒁏ee Ol🤡ivia Nuzzi and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
After Politico tapped someone else to lead their newsletter and moved Lizza to their magazine, he announced his departure and signed a non-disparagement clause – which Politico is arguing he broke by launching Telos, according to , a newsletter by 🐟Oliver Darcy.
Politico and Lizza did not immediately 😼respond to The Post’s requests for cꦆomment.
In his 𝔍Telos newsletter, Lizza has taken aim at traditional media outlets for bending the knee to President Trump and being too fearfu🐼l to report harshly on the White House, alleging there has been a “democratic backsliding in Washington.”
He issued a broadꦺ attack on mainstream media, but mentioned Politico in particular – prompt🔯ing the outlet to send him a cease-and-desist letter ordering him to remove the post, according to Status.
Lizza then penned articles about Politico’s attempts to c🅺ensor him, and alleged that the company had killed a podcast he had recorded with Jonathan Rauch, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, comparing Trump’s presidency to authoritarian rule, according to the report.
More cease-𒉰and-desist lettersꦯ followed, along with an alleged threat of legal action from Politico’s top lawyer, according to Status.
Lizza called the letter “disturbing,” and Politico’s attempt to muzzle him a “scorched-earth campaign of censorsh﷽ipꦕ demands” brought on by “some mild criticism about its editorial leadership’s approach to covering Trump.”
“If they move forward 🅘with frivolous litigation, I assure you that Telos will defend itself vigorously and successfully,” Lizza told Darcy, adding that he does not currently have legal representation.
He also challenged John Harris, Politico’s editor-in-chief, and Mathias 🎉Dopfner, chief executive of parent company Axel Springer, to sit down with him live on Substack for a debate.
“John and Mathias should admit that their campaign o꧅f censorship was a terrible mistake, retract th𒁃eir demands, and apologize,” Lizza told Darcy.
It’s unclear whethe💦r any legal a๊ction against Lizza is planned.
