Didn't he hire the investigator after making the claim? That would make it him trying to cover his ass after making an unfounded assertion, which fits pretty we

Didn't he hire the investigator after making the claim? That would make it him trying to cover his ass after making an unfounded assertion, which fits pretty well into the reckless category. What the investigator found (nothing in this case) is immaterial. The law should protect people from being defamed on a hunch that may or may not later turn out to be true.