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Ex-Trump Fundraiser Broidy’s Conspiracy Suit Tossed by Judge

Ex-GOP Fundraiser Broidy's Conspiracy Suit Tossed by U.S. Judge

(Bloomberg) -- Elliott Broidy, a former top fundraiser for the Republican National Committee, can’t sue a former United Nations’ official he claims was part of a Qatar-sponsored conspiracy to smear him in retaliation for his criticism of the Middle Eastern nation.

Broidy, who raised funds for Donald Trump and runs Los Angeles-based Broidy Capital Management, resigned as deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee in April when it became public that he’d agreed to pay $1.6 million to a former Playboy model to keep her quiet about their affair. The agreement was negotiated by Michael Cohen, Trump’s longtime lawyer and fixer, who was sentenced to three years in prison Dec. 12 for crimes unrelated to Broidy.

Broidy sued Jamal Benomar in July, claiming he was part of a plot by Qatar to hack his computers and leak his emails, allegedly to punish him for using his relationship with Trump to influence U.S. policy against Qatar and in favor of its gulf rival, the United Arab Emirates.

U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel threw the case out on Friday, in a hearing in White Plains, New York, ruling her court lacks jurisdiction over it. Benomar had argued that, as a diplomat, he is immune from the suit.

“We don’t believe that Mr. Benomar’s claim of diplomatic status should provide him with immunity in this case, where it is alleged that he participated in a conspiracy to hack U.S. citizens as a paid agent of Qatar," Broidy’s lawyer, Lee Wolosky, said in an email. Broidy plans to appeal.

In a related case, Broidy sued Qatar and a group of individuals in Los Angeles federal court in March. A judge dismissed that case and Broidy has appealed.

The case is Broidy Capital Management v. Benomar, 18-cv-6615, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (White Plains).

To contact the reporter on this story: Bob Van Voris in federal court in Manhattan at rvanvoris@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: David Glovin at dglovin@bloomberg.net, Peter Jeffrey, Elizabeth Wollman

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