Milan, 14 July (LaPresse) – The Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, has instructed his lawyers to take legal action against Valter Lavitola “in relation to what has emerged regarding his dealings with the editorial team of *Report*, with particular reference to the interview with Gioele Magaldi – who describes himself as Grand Master of the Democratic Grand Orient – broadcast in the episode aired on 10 December 2023, in which it was claimed that Minister Urso was a member of international Freemasonry: a claim which Urso himself immediately denied, although this denial was not reported during the programme. It has now emerged that Lavitola – who, as stated by Magaldi himself, is said to belong to the same Masonic lodge as him – has long been a consultant to the programme ‘Report’.” This was reported by the Mimit in a statement. The minister also points out “that, following months of a media smear campaign, Ranucci himself, during the civil proceedings brought against him, admitted that he had not verified – as he should have done – the reliability of Magaldi as a source and that, in response to subsequent requests to provide documentary evidence, the so-called witness was unable to provide any corroboration. This latter circumstance was confirmed by Ranucci himself in a subsequent episode of the television programme, in which he apologised to Minister Urso, ‘expressing regret for the distress caused to the person concerned’”. The new legal action “thus comes in addition to that brought on 16 July 2024 against Magaldi regarding the statements made on the ‘Report’ programme, which were devoid of any evidence or basis”.
Rai: Urso takes legal action against Lavitola over his dealings with the editorial team of *Report*
Milan, 14 July (LaPresse) – The Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, has instructed his lawyers to take legal action against Valter Lavitola “in relation to what has emerged regarding his dealings with the editorial team of *Report*, with particular reference to the interview with Gioele Magaldi – who describes himself as Grand Master of the Democratic Grand Orient – broadcast in the episode aired on 10 December 2023, in which it was claimed that Minister Urso was a member of international Freemasonry: a claim which Urso himself immediately denied, although this denial was not reported during the programme. It has now emerged that Lavitola – who, as stated by Magaldi himself, is said to belong to the same Masonic lodge as him – has long been a consultant to the programme ‘Report’.” This was reported by the Mimit in a statement. The minister also points out “that, following months of a media smear campaign, Ranucci himself, during the civil proceedings brought against him, admitted that he had not verified – as he should have done – the reliability of Magaldi as a source and that, in response to subsequent requests to provide documentary evidence, the so-called witness was unable to provide any corroboration. This latter circumstance was confirmed by Ranucci himself in a subsequent episode of the television programme, in which he apologised to Minister Urso, ‘expressing regret for the distress caused to the person concerned’”. The new legal action “thus comes in addition to that brought on 16 July 2024 against Magaldi regarding the statements made on the ‘Report’ programme, which were devoid of any evidence or basis”.
