Delaware Repairman Sues For Defamation Over Hunter Biden Laptop Story

MAY 4 2022·Updated JAN 20 2023

Story

Image credit: The New York Post

The Facts

John Paul Mac Isaac, the former owner of a Delaware computer repair shop who turned over a laptop belonging to Hunter Biden, has filed a defamation suit against Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and news outlets CNN, Politico and the Daily Beast.
New York Post
Mac Isaac reportedly came into possession of the laptop after Hunter dropped it off at his store in Apr. 2019 and never returned. He then reportedly gave it to the FBI in Dec. 2019 and later passed a copy to Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, who then passed it to the New York Post.
New York Post
Once the NY Post reported on the contents of the laptop in Oct. 2020, three weeks before the presidential election, 51 former intelligence officials published a letter in Politico alleging the disclosure "has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation."
Politico
CNN and the Daily Beast published similar allegations. Schiff also alleged the contents of the laptop emerged as a result of a Russian disinformation campaign. Sharing of the story was blocked on social media.
CNN
As a result of the reporting, Mac Isaac said he was forced to close his business after people allegedly pelted his store with vegetables, eggs and dog excrement. He also said he was bombarded with hate mail and death threats before moving to Colorado.
New York Post
Mac Isaac unsuccessfully sued Twitter for defamation last year, costing him $175k in legal bills. He and his attorney Brian Della Rocca, funded by The America Project – a non-profit co-founded by retired Army General Michael Flynn – will be seeking upwards of $1M in damages.
New York Post

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Left narrative

Journalists and social media companies were right to prevent the dissemination of the Hunter Biden laptop story when it emerged in Oct. 2020 – it was journalistically unsound to promote the story without knowing where the information came from, particularly so close to the election.

nytimes

Right narrative

Mac Isaac is a courageous patriot who did the American people a great service in making the contents of Hunter Biden's laptop known. He has suffered greatly as a result of this heroic act and it's only right he be compensated.