Reveal

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

PLANET AID, INC., A Massachusetts No. 21-15690 Corporation which has its principal place of business in Howard County, D.C. No. Maryland; LISBETH THOMSEN, An 3:17-cv-03695- alien and permanent resident of MMC Chilangoma, Malawi, Plaintiffs-Appellants,

OPINION

v.

REVEAL; CENTER FOR

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING; MATT

SMITH; AMY WALTERS,

Defendants-Appellees.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of California Maxine M. Chesney, District Judge, Presiding

Argued and Submitted June 14, 2022 San Francisco, California

Filed August 11, 2022

Before: Sidney R. Thomas, Ronald M. Gould, and Carlos T. Bea, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge S.R. Thomas SUMMARY*

California’s Anti-SLAPP Statute

The panel affirmed the district court’s order granting the Reporters with the Center for Investigative Reporting (“CIR”)’s anti-SLAPP motion to strike a complaint alleging defamation under California law.

Matt Smith and Amy Waters were reporters with CIR (“Reporters”) and they published stories alleging misuse of funds by two…