A computer repairman at the center of the Hunter Biden laptop controversy, John Paul Mac Isaac, has lost his defamation case against several news outlets, Hunter Biden, and Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. A Delaware judge dismissed the claims on Monday, including counterclaims from Hunter Biden accusing Mac Isaac of invasion of privacy.
Mac Isaac alleged he was defamed by media reports and statements suggesting the laptop left at his Wilmington shop in 2019 was part of a Russian disinformation campaign or that it may have been stolen. The laptop came to public attention in October 2020, when The New York Post published emails related to Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine. This prompted 51 former intelligence officials to assert the laptop story had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation,” a claim later debunked.
In a 2021 interview, Hunter Biden stated the laptop could have been stolen, hacked, or linked to Russian intelligence. Mac Isaac argued these suggestions falsely portrayed him as a thief, hacker, or conspirator. However, Hunter Biden’s attorneys countered that the remarks were opinion, did not name Mac Isaac, and therefore were not defamatory. Superior Court Judge Robert Robinson Jr. sided with Biden’s legal team, ruling in their favor.
Ronald Poliquin, Mac Isaac’s attorney, announced plans to appeal, accusing Hunter Biden of misleading the public. “Hunter Biden went on national TV and gaslighted the American public by indicating John Paul Mac Isaac was part of a Russian hoax when he knew it to be false,” Poliquin said in a statement. He reiterated that the FBI had confirmed Hunter Biden dropped off the laptop at Mac Isaac’s shop.
Judge Robinson also dismissed Mac Isaac’s defamation claims against CNN, Politico, and Joe Biden’s campaign committee for characterizing the laptop contents as Russian disinformation. Additionally, Hunter Biden’s privacy claims were dismissed due to the time elapsed before filing.
