According to the U.S. Supreme Court holding in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964), the governor of the state of California may prevail on a defamation suit against The Sacramento Bee for statements contained in article asserting truthfully that the governor has had six extramarital relationships by which he fathered ten children.

Question

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In Sullivan, the Court held that a public official like the California governor would only succeed in a defamation suit against a paper where the public official can show that the statements were published with knowledge of their falsity or a reckless disregard for discovering the truth.