Nader v. Democratic National Committee

TATEL, Circuit Judge:

Believing himself the victim of a concerted effort to thwart his 2004 presidential bid, Ralph Nader sued an array of influential Democrats in late 2007 for malicious prosecution and abuse of process. His complaint alleges a far-reaching civil conspiracy whose object was to deplete his resources by forcing him to defend merit-less ballot eligibility challenges in nearly twenty states. The district court dismissed the complaint, concluding that Nader’s suit, if successful, would punish the Democrats for activity protected by the First Amendment. Nader appeals, arguing that…