There is an increasingly common strategy by billionaires to weaponize libel law against journalism.




In 2020, Erik Prince, the billionaire founder of the private security firm Blackwater, sued The Intercept after we published an investigative report on his business activities.

The ensuing legal battle cost The Intercept more than $200,000 in legal fees, even though the case was eventually thrown out.

It’s an example of an increasingly common strategy by billionaires to weaponize libel law against journalism — but The Intercept is not about to let Erik Prince, Elon Musk, or any other litigious billionaire dictate what we cover. In fact, we’re continuing to investigate Prince and his business dealings right now.

But we rely on reader donations to fund our reporting. So to continue to publish stories that challenge the powerful, we need to be prepared for potential legal fights.

And so far, we’re still more than $80,000 away from meeting tonight’s Giving Tuesday fundraising goal. Can you make a donation before midnight?

Thank you,
The Intercept team

The Intercept is a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

The Intercept’s mailing address is:
P.O. Box 9201
New York, NY 10008

The Intercept is an award-winning nonprofit news organization dedicated to holding the powerful accountable through fearless, adversarial journalism. Our in-depth investigations and unflinching analysis focus on surveillance, war, corruption, the environment, technology, criminal justice, the media and more. Email is an important way for us to communicate with The Intercept’s readers, but if you’d like to stop hearing from us, click here to unsubscribe from all communications. Protecting freedom of the press has never been more important. Contribute now to support our independent journalism.