Fuzz Hogan, a senior editor at CNN, testified Friday in a defamation case involving the network’s report on U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young. Young alleges the November 11, 2021, report falsely accused him of exploiting Afghans by offering evacuation services on a “black market” following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Hogan stated that the story he approved did not originally include the term “black market.” He testified, “The text of the story did not do that. The banner and Jake Tapper’s lead-in did that.” However, Hogan later defended the term, asserting it was an “accurate” description and disputing claims that “black market” inherently carries a negative connotation.
Young contends that labeling his efforts as a “black market” operation implied illegal conduct, damaging his reputation and rendering him “permanently unemployable.” He testified that his defense contracts explicitly prohibited involvement in “black markets” and noted that a court determined he had committed no crime.
During testimony, Young pointed out that CNN failed to include key information, such as his successful evacuation of nearly two dozen individuals from Afghanistan. In the segment, CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt reported the network could not confirm whether “operators charging the high fees” had successfully evacuated anyone, as Young claimed. The segment, aired on Jake Tapper’s show, described the situation as a “black market full of promises, demands of exorbitant fees, and no guarantee of safety or success.”
Hogan defended the decision to exclude details about Young’s successes, stating, “It wasn’t relevant.” Meanwhile, internal CNN emails presented in court showed Senior Director Emma Lacey-Bordeaux suggesting Marquardt allow Young more than two hours to respond to their inquiry. “Two hours is a pretty sharp turn-around time,” she wrote.
Young testified that the short deadline prevented him from consulting with others to provide a comprehensive response. He also informed Marquardt that some of CNN’s claims were inaccurate and warned that he would pursue legal action if they were published. Despite this, CNN aired the segment, shared it online, and re-aired it before issuing an apology months later.
Young is seeking punitive damages in the ongoing lawsuit.
