A defamation lawsuit has been filed against prominent conservative podcaster and influencer Benny Johnson by two individuals who participated in demonstrations outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, Illinois, last October. The plaintiffs allege that Johnson made false claims that they were violent attackers.
Kyle Frankovich, a Harvard University data scientist, stated that he had never heard of Johnson prior to the influencer posting footage of him and other demonstrators. In the video, Johnson asserted that the group had assaulted ICE officers while federal agents were clearing the area. According to the complaint, this statement was inaccurate.
Frankovich was recording the events from a designated free speech zone when he was tackled and arrested. He and co-plaintiff Maureen Foody, a court reporter, were subsequently released without charges. Images of Frankovich with his hands zip-tied behind his back were later utilized in recruitment materials by ICE.
The lawsuit, filed on Friday, notes that the defendants have suffered significant distress, including fear of physical attacks and professional repercussions, after being labeled as left-wing terrorists in Johnson’s broadcasts. The complaint details that Frankovich now avoids walking alone and has privatized his social media accounts to protect his address.
Johnson, who was embedded with then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino at the time, did not immediately return requests for comment. His videos reached a wide audience, with clips also airing on Fox News.
Rachel Goodman, special counsel at the legal nonprofit Protect Democracy, observed that the case illustrates a broader administrative strategy to delegitimize political opposition. She noted that while federal officials generally enjoy immunity from such suits, targeting private individuals like Johnson is part of a pattern to control the information environment and undermine dissent.
Johnson really ran that narrative without verifying anything. Hope he faces consequences for spreading such harmful falsehoods online.
This is terrifying. A data scientist living in fear after being wrongly accused? The chilling effect on free speech is real and dangerous.