CNN has hired additional lawyers to defend itself against the $1 billion defamation lawsuit filed by a U.S. Navy veteran who claimed the network “destroyed his reputation.”

Recent court documents obtained by Fox News reveal that CNN has retained Ballard Spahr LLP attorneys Dave Axelrod and Joe Bailey after the two parties failed to reach a settlement agreement in September.

The lawsuit was filed by Zachary Young, who alleges that the network implied his company, Nemex Enterprises Inc., illegally profited from evacuating people from Afghanistan when the Taliban began regaining power as the U.S. military pulled out from the country in 2021. 

Axelrod — who is not the same person as CNN contributor and senior adviser to former President Barack Obama, David Axelrod — has previously been retained by actress Amber Heard in her legal battle against her ex-husband, fellow actor Johnny Depp, and was part of the New York Times‘ defense when they defeated a defamation lawsuit from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R), according to Fox News. 

Young’s lawsuit was filed after he became the subject of a November 2021 CNN segment and accompanying article about the struggles Afghan citizens were going through to flee from the Taliban. 

On an episode of The Lead with Jake Tapper, the host told viewers that CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt found that “Afghans trying to get out of the country face a black market full of promises, demands of exorbitant fees, and no guarantee of safety or success.”

Marquardt chimed in, saying he discovered that “desperate Afghans are being exploited” by those offering evacuation services for “exorbitant, often impossible” prices. 

A picture of Young was then shown on the screen, with Marquardt saying that Nemex Enterprises was charging $75,000 for vehicle transport from Kabul to Pakistan and $14,500 for flights to the United Arab Emirates. 

“Prices well beyond the reach of most Afghans,” Marquardt said.

“We got Young’s number and called, but he didn’t pick up. In a text message, he told CNN that ‘Afghans trying to leave are expected to have sponsors pay for them. If someone reached out, we need to understand if they have a sponsor behind them to be able to pay evacuation costs which are highly volatile and based on environmental realities,'” the correspondent said. “Young repeatedly declined to break down the cost or say if he’s making money.” 

“In another message, that person offering those evacuations, Zachary Young, he wrote, ‘Availability is extremely limited and demand is high’ … he goes on to say, ‘That’s how economics works, unfortunately,'” Marquardt added.

The full article on CNN’s website expanded on these claims and added in a heartfelt story of a California man who was trying to get his family out of Afghanistan. 

Responding to Marquardt, Tapper said, “‘Unfortunately,’ hmm.”

The Media Research Center’s NewsBusters said that the trial will most likely begin in January 2025 since the settlement negotiations fell apart. 

“The Mediator files his report to the Court and advises that a mediation conference was held on September 11, 2024, at which the parties and attorneys of record appeared in person. The Court is further advised that the parties were unable to reach any agreement and an impasse was declared,” a court document obtained by the outlet stated.