Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee did not quit his TV talk show to promote CBD gummies that saved his health.
In fact, he’s suing the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Meta Platforms Inc. of Menlo Park, California, for hosting ads linking Huckabee to cannabis-derived products.
The ads, using Huckabee’s image and fabricated quotations, said CBD had “cured” Huckabee of autoimmune disease and “can save American lives,” the complaint says.
Meta is incorporated in Delaware, and Huckabee’s attorneys filed suit in the United States District Court of Delaware on July 1, seeking unspecified restitution and punitive damages from Meta.
The lawsuit identifies Huckabee as a Baptist minister, two-time presidential candidate, a bestselling author and syndicated radio and TV host who has never taken or endorsed cannabidiol, a hemp-derived product marketed for its health benefits.
The lawsuit states that for months Meta hosted fraudulent ads featuring unauthorized and “altered” images of Huckabee. It also accuses Meta of promoting false claims that health problems prompted Huckabee to leave his conservative talk show on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. The purported reason? To promote Fortin CBD gummies, which had purportedly restored his health.
Huckabee, who is 68, said in the filing that he has never taken CBD products and does not endorse them in any way.
Huckabee, father of Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, claims that Meta advertisers even faked a Fox News article asserting that his TBN show was canceled.
“Plaintiff has talked to numerous fans who, unfortunately, believed these advertisements were true and purchased the CBD products,” said the suit, which was filed by attorney Sean J. Bellew of Delaware and the Poynter Law Group PLLC of Little Rock. The suit says Meta “approved and maintained” the ads, wrongly associating Huckabee “with the CBD industry and marijuana use.” The ads also falsely portrayed Huckabee as “suffering from an autoimmune disease,” the complaint says.
The suit says Meta violated Arkansas’ Frank Broyles Publicity Protection Act, named for the longtime Arkansas Razorbacks football coach and athletic director, and invaded Huckabee’s privacy.
“Plaintiff is entitled to restitution from Meta of all monies Meta obtained from the approval and maintenance of unauthorized advertisements exploiting Plaintiff’s name, photograph and license,” the complaint says.
Meta media representatives didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
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