UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA LARRY E. KLAYMAN, Plaintiff, v. Case No. 21-cv-02473 (CRC) THE HONORABLE NEOMI RAO, et al., Defendants. MEMORANDUM OPINION Larry E. Klayman, proceeding pro se, filed this action against the judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia and two judges of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleging violations of his rights under the Due Process Clause and the First Amendment. The claimed “unconstitutional and illegal actions” of the defendants occurred during the course of two prior related cases involving Klayman, Klayman et al. v. Judicial Watch, Inc., et al., No. 06-cv-670 (D.D.C.) (“Judicial Watch I”) and Klayman et al. v. Judicial Watch, Inc., et al., No. 19-7105 (D.C. Cir.) (“Judicial Watch Appeal”). See Compl. ¶¶ 23–24. For the reasons explained below, this Court will dismiss this action sua sponte. Klayman’s claims are barred in their entirety, either by absolute judicial immunity or by collateral estoppel, and this Court lacks jurisdiction to grant any of the relief Klayman seeks. I. Background A. Prior Litigation This case arises from an earlier lawsuit between Klayman and the organization he founded in 1994, Judicial Watch. In short, Klayman left the helm of Judicial Watch in 2003. The relationship between Klayman and the organization then deteriorated further, leading to a series of lawsuits that have now spanned nearly 20 years. 1. Judicial Watch I In 2003, after his resignation from Judicial Watch, Klayman sued the organization asserting breach of his severance agreement and violations of the Lanham Act. Judicial Watch responded with counterclaims of the same variety. See Klayman v. Jud. Watch, Inc., 6 F.4th 1301, 1307–09 (D.C. Cir. 2021). This litigation proceeded before The Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly for approximately sixteen years. Compl. ¶ 24. During the proceedings, Klayman filed numerous discovery and pretrial motions, including five motions for Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s recusal. See Judicial Watch I, 6-cv-670-CKK, ECF Nos. 298, 345, 414, 587, 606 (recusal motions); ECF Nos. 76, 126, 146, 156, 226, 275. (motions to quash subpoenas, discovery motions, and motion for partial summary judgment). Judge Kollar-Kotelly granted partial summary judgment to Judicial Watch. Id., ECF Nos. 318, 319. The remainder of Klayman’s claims and Judicial Watch’s counterclaims were presented to a jury, which returned a $2.3 million dollar verdict against Klayman. Judicial Watch I, No. 6-cv-670-CKK, 2019 WL 1244079, at *31 (D.D.C. Mar. 18, 2019). Klayman filed several motions under Rules 50, 59, and 60 to alter the judgment, to grant a new trial, and for relief from judgment, all of which were unsuccessful. See Docket, No. 6-cv-670-CKK, ECF Nos. 571, 587, 603, 604, 608. 2. Appeal of Judicial Watch I & Judicial Watch II In August 2019, after Judge Kollar-Kotelly denied Klayman’s post-trial motions and his motion to reconsider those rulings, Klayman appealed to the D.C. Circuit. See No. 6-cv-670- CKK, ECF No. 613 (D.C. Cir. Case No. 19-7105). He also filed a motion in the district court to stay enforcement of the judgment pending appeal, …
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