Attorneys for Tulsi Gabbard have issued a cease and desist letter to CNN, warning the network against publishing a report that allegedly accuses the former congresswoman and current Director of National Intelligence of voter fraud. The letter, obtained by The Daily Wire and dated April 4, asserts that the potential story is defamatory and legally unsupportable.
According to the letter, CNN intended to claim that Gabbard committed voter fraud during the 2024 election by voting in Hawaii despite declaring a homestead exemption in Texas. The report allegedly implied that this exemption invalidated her Hawaii residency. Gabbard’s legal team maintains that such a claim misrepresents both Texas law and her residential status.
Under Texas law, designating a homestead does not establish or negate permanent residency for voting purposes. Gabbard’s attorneys argue that she has long maintained her residency in Hawaii, where she was born, raised, and served as a state legislator and member of Congress. Her homestead designation in Texas, the letter explains, was advised by local officials to protect her privacy amid credible threats.
Gabbard’s press secretary, Olivia Coleman, issued a statement defending the Director’s actions and condemning the anticipated report.
“DNI Gabbard voted in Hawaii during the 2024 election because she is and has been a tax-paying Hawaii resident,” Coleman said. “Any claim to the contrary is simply dishonest and is yet another smear job from discredited CNN.”
The cease and desist letter further emphasizes that Gabbard’s situation is consistent with past precedent. As a sitting member of Congress, she maintained multiple residences, including one on the mainland. Her current primary residence is near Washington, D.C., in proximity to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Gabbard’s legal team also references judicial precedent stating that while a homestead designation may factor into a residency determination, it is not legally determinative. Therefore, any assertion that Gabbard voted improperly based solely on her Texas homestead is, they argue, factually incorrect and legally unsustainable.
The attorneys assert that the planned report constitutes defamation per se, as it accuses a sitting federal official of criminal conduct—an allegation inherently damaging to her personal and professional standing. The letter warns that publication of such claims could result in litigation and further reputational consequences for CNN.
CNN has not issued a public response and has not confirmed whether it still intends to publish the story. The network’s prior coverage on election-related issues has dismissed widespread fraud as unfounded, including a 2022 article titled “Election fraud isn’t really a thing, part infinity.”