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Posts Tagged ‘defamation’

Yesterday ThinkProgress’s Adam Peck reported that enough uproar had been created by Rush Limbaughs remarks over Sandra Fluke, that as many as 4 sponsors of Limbaugh’s show had canceled. It’s a good read.

Rush Limbaugh’s Advertisers Facing Social Media Firestorm

By Adam Peck on Mar 2, 2012 at 3:40

…So far, Sleep Number, The Sleep Train, Quicken Loans, Legal Zoom and Citrix have pulled ads from the program, and several others are considering following their lead…..

http://thinkprogress.org/media/2012/03/02/436852/rush-limbaugh-advertisers/

I especially think people who sell beds WOULD want to stay away from insulting half the US population.

Over at the CS Monitor Peter Grier asks:

Is Rush Limbaugh damaging the Republican Party?

Before Rush Limbaugh spoke up, the Republicans thought they had a winning issue on contraception in health-care plans. Now, everyone is on the same side: against Rush Limbaugh.

By Peter GrierStaff writer / March 2, 2012

…Limbaugh himself remains unapologetic for his comments. On his radio show Friday he said, “This isn’t about contraception anyway. This is about expanding the reach and power of government into your womb, if you’re a woman.”…

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/Vox-News/2012/0302/Is-Rush-Limbaugh-damaging-the-Republican-Party

Good question Peter- except I think that question was answered in 2008, when Clear Channel signed that 400 million dollar contract for Limbaugh, during the last election. You can’t undo the anger of women then, by generating more outrage.

Erick Erickson decided a flank attack to defend Limbaugh was a good idea (Think Sun Tzu) and went after Carly Fiorina.

Does Carly Fiorina Just Not Get It?

Posted by Erick Erickson (Diary)

Friday, March 2nd at 10:12AM EST

[Carly Fiorina is offended by Rush Limbaugh’s comments on Georgetown Law School student Sandra Fluke, who testified before Congress that she wants the American taxpayers to subsidize her sexual proclivities.

We should be insulted with Fluke, but Fiorina is insulted by Limbaugh.

“That language is insulting, in my opinion. It’s incendiary and most of all, it’s a distraction. It’s a distraction from what are very real and important issues,” said Fiorina on CBS’s “This Morning.”

…So of course Rush Limbaugh was being insulting. He was using it as a tool to highlight just how absurd the Democrats’ position is on this. It’s what he does and does quite well. And in the process he’s exposing a lot of media bias on the issue as people rush out (no pun intended) to make Sandra Fluke a victim of his insults and dance around precisely what is really insulting — her testimony before congress that American taxpayers should subsidize the sexual habits of Georgetown Law School students because, God forbid, they should stop having sex if they cannot afford the pills themselves.

Suddenly, an act Democrats have said for years was private and consensual, must despite that be paid for by the American taxpayers.

BONUS POINT: Why is a person who lost a U.S. Senate campaign after sucking up vast resources from Republicans donors that could have gone elsewhere somehow made the Vice Chairman of the GOP’s Senate Campaign Committee?..]

http://www.redstate.com/erick/2012/03/02/does-carly-fiorina-just-not-get-it/

Erickson is referring to her failed California Senate race for Barbara Boxer’s seat. If you read her interesting bio link attached to her name above, you’ll know I’m not near her political pasture. There is no doubt, however, she is qualified to be Vice Chairman of the GOP’s Senate Campaign Committee.

Money drives elections; Carly couldn’t have made the CA run if supporters weren’t willing to pay the money for her to do it. Money drives elections, yet Erickson would rather spread the misogyny and insult an important republican woman overseeing the Party’s finances, to support the Limbaugh  Hate Speech Club. Erickson’s stated opinion above that that Limbaugh WAS being deliberately insulting probably doesn’t help Limbaugh.

Carly gets it, Erick.

I’ll point out again, the Blunt bill was stupid and would have allowed unnamed and anonymous exclusions from the Affordable Care Act for any sort of “conscience” claim.

Birth control was not specifically identified  in the bill.

Contraception is for two.

If a woman wants sex with him the man has got to want it too.

Limbaugh’s hate speech is paid for, to the tune of 400 million dollars, by Clear Channel. No matter the right or left politics of it, or which political party comes out of this looking better, it’s hate speech against women, and, Sandra Fluke in particular. The man called her a “slut and round heeled”. The lawyers will have to decide if Limbaugh’s speech is also actionable.

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After the announcement of Andrew Breitbart’s death, I did wonder about this and Politico has the scoop:

[Shirley Sherrod’s suit against Andrew Breitbart likely to continue

By JOSH GERSTEIN | 3/1/12 4:38 PM EST
A defamation lawsuit a former Agriculture Department employee filed against conservative journalist Andrew Breitbart is likely to continue despite Breitbart’s unexpected death on Wednesday night at age 43 …..

http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2012/03/shirley-sherrods-suit- against-andrew-breitbart-likely-116078.html ]

Please go to their full article and read it. If all the kinks are worked out it seems likely that Breitbart’s estate and at least one co-worker will be subject to the continued court proceedings.

If you’re trying to remember who Shirley Sherrod is, I have attached a pdf of an older blog post from JohnSmart, now at:
http://johnwsmart.wordpress.com/

I liked John’s post, first because he laid out the timeline of events nicely, and because I thought he well represented the traps, pitfalls and honesty in opinion writing.

Can the the tenants of this lawsuit apply elsewhere? You lawyers out there will know, but it seems to me that one person who defames another and gets paid or promised 400 million dollars to do it ought to have made vulnerable the whole business system that allowed this defamation.

Even if he gets fired.

Even if he dies.

What are 15 million listeners supposed to think, when year after year Limbaugh and Company get away with this garbage and no one brings them to justice?

And, what about Danica?

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TPMLivewire
04:26 PM EST
Sandra Fluke Issues Statement On Limbaugh’s Comments And Public Support

Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown University law student who was the subject of Rush Limbaugh’s remarks Wednesday, issued the following statement on Limbaugh and the support she has received:

[“I thank the thousands of women and men, including members of Congress, Georgetown University students and faculty, and total strangers of all political stripes across the country who have offered kind words and support following recent egregious personal attacks.

“We are fortunate to live in a democracy where everyone is entitled to their own opinions regarding legitimate policy differences. Unfortunately, numerous commentators have gone far beyond the acceptable bounds of civil discourse.

“No woman deserves to be disrespected in this manner. This language is an attack on all women, and has been used throughout history to silence our voices.

“The millions of American women who have and will continue to speak out in support of women’s health care and access to contraception prove that we will not be silenced.”]

Fluke testified at a hearing a week ago in which she talked about the burden of paying for contraception out of pocket. Limbaugh used those comments to call her a “slut” and a “prostitute.” Over 75 Congressional Democrats Thursday called on House Speaker John Boehner to condemn Limbaugh’s remarks.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/sandra-fluke-issues-statement- on-limbaughs-comments-public

Link below for TPM’s article on the remarks:

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/03/fox-and-limbaugh-miss-the-point-o n-birth-control-costs.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

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