Judge tosses Laura Loomer’s lawsuit, says Bill Maher joke wasn’t defamation

By Andrew Kirell, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge on Wednesday tossed out prominent Trump ally Laura Loomer’s defamation lawsuit against Bill Maher and HBO, ruling that the “Real Time” host’s joke about her constituted protected speech and not defamation. Maher suggested during his September 13, 2024, broadcast that Loomer, a far-right activist with a