Streamer Hasan Piker files $72.5 million defamation case against Kentuckian Scott Jennings

Progressive Twitch streamer Hasan Piker has filed a defamation lawsuit against Kentuckian and conservative political commentator Scott Jennings seeking $72.5 million in damages. 

In a complaint filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. Tuesday, attorneys for Piker argued Jennings “falsely told a nationwide podcast audience that Hasan Piker was ‘out there calling for Black voters to be lynched.’” The claims stem from an edited video Jennings shared on his show and on social media in August.

“All of Mr. Jennings’ accusations are false,” Piker’s complaint said. “Mr. Piker has never advocated the lynching of Black Americans, or anyone else. He has never called for a return to lynchings. And he has never proposed anything remotely resembling the supposed plan that Mr. Jennings falsely attributed to him.” 

Jennings didn’t immediately return a texted request for comment on Wednesday from the Kentucky Lantern. 

A Snopes review from August found that Piker was sarcastically mimicking others’ opinions and the clips were from hours-long streams and heavily edited without full context. 

In response to one of the clips Jennings’ shared, Piker said on X at the time: “ive never seen a more clear cut instance of defamation than this in my entire life. blatant disregard for the truth.”

Jennings, who now frequently appears on CNN to discuss Republican politics, is a former staffer of Kentucky U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and a founding partner of RunSwitch PR, one of Kentucky’s largest public relations firms.