U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard sued former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today alleging defamation in yet another twist in Gabbard’s peculiar, long-shot campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Gabbard announced in November she had demanded a retraction from Clinton after alleging that Clinton defamed her in October by making comments about Russian support for Gabbard’s presidential bid.

Today the Gabbard campaign announced she has filed a defamation lawsuit against Clinton in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York claiming that Clinton “deliberately and maliciously made false statements in an attempt to derail Rep. Gabbard’s campaign, by alleging that Gabbard is a ‘Russian asset.’”

The complaint seeks compensatory damages and an injunction prohibiting the further publication of Clinton’s “defamatory statements,” according to the Gabbard campaign.

Gabbard, who is currently ranked 10th out of 11 Democrats in the Real Clear Politics average of national polls, is seeking $50 million in actual damages plus punitive damages.

Gabbard is represented by the Los Angeles law firm of law firm Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht, which has represented a number of high profile and political figures including President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, and George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign aid who pleaded guilty last year to lying to the FBI.

Gabbard’s clash with Clinton has generated some national interest and media coverage in the past, and Gabbard is urgently trying to raise her profile as the New Hampshire primary approaches.

That primary will be held on Feb. 11, and poll data from New Hampshire shows Gabbard is polling in the 4% range — well behind leading candidates Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

Brian Dunne, an attorney with the firm representing Gabbard,, sent a letter to Clinton on Gabbard’s behalf on Nov. 11 demanding that Clinton issue a retraction drawn up by the firm in which she apologies for her comments and praises Gabbard’s public service.

Pierce Bainbridge is also representing Gabbard in a lawsuit she filed in July against Google. Gabbard alleged in that case that July that the company suspended her Google ads account for several hours following the first presidential debate. Gabbard alleged Google did so to retaliate for her advocacy in favor of breaking up big tech companies.

Google responded that the suspension was actually triggered by automated systems that flag unusual activity on advertiser accounts, including large spending changes that are meant to prevent fraud and protect customers. Google is asking that the lawsuit be dismissed and a hearing date is set for Jan. 27.

Bloomberg News also contributed to this report.

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