Judge to rule by end of August if Sarah Palin suit proceeds

NEW YORK – A judge says he’ll rule by the end of August whether former Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s defamation lawsuit against The New York Times can proceed.

Federal Judge Jed Rakoff announced his plans after hearing oral arguments Monday. The Times has asked for dismissal of the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages.

The judge has barred collection of evidence until he rules.

Palin sued the Times in June, citing a Times editorial about gun control published after Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise (skuh-LEES’) was shot in Washington.

The Times published a series of corrections and apologized after readers complained about the editorial. Some readers complained the newspaper falsely suggested a connection between information published by Palin’s political action committee and a mass shooting that severely wounded then-Arizona U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords in 2011.