By Joseph Ataman, Saskya Vandoorne | CNN
Paris (CNN) — French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit in the United States against right-wing podcaster Candace Owens Wednesday over the claim that Brigitte could be a man.
The lawsuit filed in Delaware Superior Court alleges Owens has broadcast “a relentless year-long campaign of defamation against the Macrons” according to a statement from Tom Clare, the Macrons’ lawyer.
In March, conservative commentator Candace Owens revived an absurd conspiracy theory with a YouTube video titled “Is France’s First Lady a Man?” according to the complaint.
Promoted widely on X, Owens said the conspiracy theory was, “likely the biggest scandal in political history.”
Since then, Owens has produced numerous videos about Brigitte Macron for her nearly 4.5 million YouTube subscribers, including a multi-part series called “Becoming Brigitte.”
The lawsuit further claims she has also sold merchandise promoting the claim.
The Macrons’ attorney Tom Clare told CNN Wednesday that they had asked Owens to stop making the claim for about a year and filed the lawsuit as a “last resort” after she refused.
The complaint alleges Owens was the first person to bring these baseless claims to the US media and an international audience. The couple are suing for punitive damages and allege that they have suffered “substantial economic damages” including loss of future business opportunities.
On Instagram, Owens posted...
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