Jesse Ventura Wants Justice, Not Cash

Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura is back in the news again, this time over a legal battle to clear his name that was "smeared" in a book titled American Sniper. Via the Associated Press:

Ventura continues to claim he isn’t going after the widow of slain American Sniper author Chris Kyle by pursuing his defamation lawsuit, but rather the publisher’s insurance company. “It’s not me against her,” Ventura said in an interview Monday night with The Associated Press. Ventura alleges that Kyle, considered to be the deadliest sniper in American history, defamed him in his best-selling book. In it, the former Navy SEAL describes a 2006 bar fight in which he claims he punched someone named “Scruff Face,” whom he later identified as Ventura. Ventura, also a former Navy SEAL and pro wrestler, says the fight never happened. “It's never been about money. It’s about clearing my name. It’s a lie,” Ventura said. Kyle and a friend were killed in February 2013 at a Texas gun range; an Iraq war veteran whom Kyle was trying to help is accused in the killings. A federal judge has allowed Ventura's lawsuit to proceed with Kyle's widow, Taya Kyle, as the defendant. Ventura’s comments came after being asked about the case during an interview to promote his new show, “Off the Grid,” on the digital network Ora TV.

In all likelihood, Ventura is hoping to keep his reputation as clean as possible in hopes of a run at the Oval Office in 2016. As we reported last June on Minnesota Connected, Ventura has been considering running for President of the United States. Photos via: Google