Nick Sandmann’s Lawyer Accuses Brian Stelter of Breaching Confidentiality

Lin Wood, a lawyer representing Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann, accused CNN’s Brian Stelter on Monday of breaching a confidentiality agreement with respect to the settlement reached between Sandmann and the Washington Post.

Sandmann announced Friday via Twitter that he had settled a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the Washington Post on his eighteenth birthday:

On 2/19/19, I filed $250M defamation lawsuit against Washington Post. Today, I turned 18 & WaPo settled my lawsuit. Thanks to @ToddMcMurtry & @LLinWood for their advocacy. Thanks to my family & millions of you who have stood your ground by supporting me. I still have more to do.

— Nicholas Sandmann (@N1ckSandmann) July 24, 2020

Stelter retweeted — and subsequently undid his retweet — of a speculative assessment of the Washington Post‘s settlement with Sandmann from Mark Zaid:

Those with zero legal experience (as far as I can tell) should not be conjecturing on lawsuits they know nothing about. What kind of journalism is that?

I've litigated defamation cases. Sandman was undoubtedly paid nuisance value settlement & nothing more. https://t.co/pcBebNwcyb

— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) July 27, 2020

Wood tweeted, “This retweet by @brianstelter may have cost him his job at @CNN. It is called breach of confidentiality agreement. Brian Stelter is a liar. I know how to deal with liars.”

This retweet by @brianstelter may have cost him his job at @CNN. It is called breach of confidentiality agreement. Brian Stelter is a liar. I know how to deal with liars. pic.twitter.com/1VHxby9gim

— Lin Wood (@LLinWood) July 27, 2020

Wood called for CNN to fire Stelter to “teach him not to ever against falsely speculate on confidential settlements.”

Well, if @CNN does not fire @brianstelter, @N1ckSandmann, @ToddMcMurtry & I will be okay with a good butt spanking which will teach him not to ever again falsely speculate on confidential settlements. Take him to the woodshed, CNN. #FightBack https://t.co/VpKsb4nUsb

— Lin Wood (@LLinWood) July 28, 2020

CNN’s Asha Ranhappa similarly speculated on a $25,000 valuation of the Washington Post‘s settlement to make Sandmann “go away.”

This tweet by @AshaRangappa may have cost Ms. Rangappa her job at @CNN. It is called breach of confidentiality agreement. Asha Rangappa is a liar. I know how to deal with liars.

Heads are going to roll at CNN or @N1ckSandmann is going to filing another lawsuit & reveal truth. https://t.co/0NsN6wF40C

— Lin Wood (@LLinWood) July 27, 2020

CNN settled a $275 million defamation lawsuit brought by Sandmann in January. The lawsuit alleged that “CNN brought down the full force of its corporate power, influence, and wealth on Nicholas by falsely attacking, vilifying, and bullying him despite the fact that he was a minor child.”

Follow Robert Kraychik on Twitter.