Notre Dame professor sues Irish Rover for alleged defamation

In a filing submitted to the St. Joseph County Superior Court on May 22, sociology and global affairs professor Tamara Kay alleged she has been defamed by The Irish Rover, a Catholic student publication at Notre Dame. An October 2022 story by Irish Rover editor-in-chief said Kay “offers abortion access to students.” The lawsuit comes after a GoFundMe page for Kay’s legal representation raised more than $12,000.

One article referenced in the lawsuit claimed Kay was offering students help accessing abortion, including emergency-contraceptive pills, and promoting these efforts through signage on her door, which Kay said in a since-deleted tweet “was not about abortion,” according to Fox News. The complaint also mentions a subsequent Irish Roverstoryfrom March 2023 entitled “Tamara Kay Explains Herself to Notre Dame Democrats.”

Kay’s filing alleges that The Irish Rover’s coverage “contains numerous other inaccuracies and false statements,” denying comments attributed to her at the panel. It argues that the Rover’s stories “are defamatory per se and establish a willful intent to portray Dr. Kay in a negative and disparaging manner consistent with a motive of bad faith and a reckless disregard for truth and falsity.” Kay’s complaint seeks damages, arguing the funds are “warranted to serve the public interest and to deter such conduct in the future,” and citing her stated mental anguish and fear for her safety as a result of harassment.

The court subpoena was directed at Notre Dame law professor Rick Garnett as “registered agent” for the Rover. 

In an article posted to The Irish Rover’s website Tuesday, the paper’s staff said Kay’s allegations were “entirely false” and described the lawsuit as “only the latest stage in a tenured professor’s baseless public campaign against undergraduates at her own university.” Standing by their reporting, the publication’s editors said The Rover will “not apologize for just and truthful reporting.” Following the granting of a 30-day extension, The Rover has until Wednesday, July 12 to plead its response to the initial complaint.