US congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is suing Hillary Clinton for defamation, alleging the former presidential nominee described her as a "Russian asset".
Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee in 2016, said on a podcast in October that Russians were grooming one of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates for a third-party bid, but she didn't name the candidate.
"I'm not making any predictions, but I think they've got their eye on somebody who is currently in the Democratic primary," Clinton said while speaking on the podcast with David Plouffe, an adviser to former President Barack Obama.
"She's the favourite of the Russians."
Although CNN said Gabbard has been accused of being close to Russia in the past, Clinton didn't directly name her in the interview.
There was no evidence provided in the podcast that proved how Russia was "grooming" her. Clinton instead alleged that Russian news and propaganda websites often report on Gabbard's campaign, which were later amplified by Twitter bots with ties to Russia.
"You, the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party for so long, have finally come out from behind the curtain," Gabbard said in response to the allegations.
"From the day I announced my candidacy, there has been a concerted campaign to destroy my reputation. We wondered who was behind it and why. Now we know - it was always you," she wrote on Twitter.
Clinton's spokesperson Nick Merrill told CNN the claims were true if people believed that "the nesting doll fits" - an allusion to Russian nesting dolls.
"If the Russian propaganda machine, both their state media and their bot and troll operations, is backing a candidate aligned with their interests, that is just a reality, it is not speculation," he said.
Gabbard's lawsuit - filed on Wednesday in New York state - claims that Clinton had "malicious intent" during the interview.
"Tulsi has been harmed by Clinton's lies - and American democracy has suffered as well.
"The defamatory statements have caused Tulsi to lose potential donors and potential voters who heard the defamatory statements. Tulsi has suffered significant actual damages, personally and professionally, that are estimated to exceed $50 million - and continue to this day.
"With this action, Tulsi seeks to hold Clinton and the political elites who enable her, accountable for distorting the truth in the middle of a critical Presidential election."
Gabbard is suing Clinton for US$50 million (NZ$75.8 million).
The lawsuit comes only days after Clinton's comments were made public where she said that "nobody likes" US Senator Bernie Sanders.
