Jimmy crack corn -n- I don't care!
Jimmy crack corn -n- I don't care!
Jimmy crack corn -n- I don't caaaaaare!
My master (John O'Neil) is gone awayyyyyyy!
Posted on 09/19/2005 9:22:58 AM PDT by MarineBrat
| TO: |
|
Sen. John F. Kerry |
| FROM: |
|
William J. Dyer (a/k/a Beldar) |
| RE: |
|
Limitations |
Spectacular lawyer though you may (or may not) be in your own right, I know your staff includes some agile and diligent legal minds. Nevertheless, in the interests of fairness, I feel obliged to remind you of the fact that Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry by John E. O'Neill and Jerome R. Corsi — which spent several weeks at No. 1 on the NYT Bestsellers List before last year's presidential election — was published on or about August 15, 2004, just over one year and one month ago.
I'm quite sure you'll recall that many of your supporters, defenders, and admirers argued enthusiastically that fall, and even after the election, that you ought to sue Mr. O'Neill, Dr. Corsi, and their publisher, Regnery Publishing, Inc., for defamation — more specifically, for libel based on the book and slander based on their public comments in connection with it.
I'm less sure — but will nevertheless give you the benefit of the doubt — that you'll remember from law school and perhaps from your bar review course that defamation lawsuits are generally are based on state law, and that they are generally subject to state statutes of limitations, regardless of whether they are filed in state or federal court.
My concern, however, is that you may not be aware that most state statutes of limitations for defamation are quite short. In Texas (where Mr. O'Neill resides), New Jersey (where Dr. Corsi resides), and the District of Columbia (where their publisher Regnery Publishing, Inc. has its principal place of business and you have your own regular place of business), those jurisdictions' respective statutes of limitations on defamation claims expire only one year after the alleged defamation is published.
Thus, in most of the logical, permissible, and likely venues in which you might have brought such a defamation lawsuit against Mr. O'Neill, Dr. Corsi, and Regnery Publishing, you've already allowed your potential claims to become time-barred, Sen. Kerry! D'oh! Why'd you let that happen?
There may be still be a few permissible venues — perhaps Massachusetts, which has a shamefully generous three-year statute of limitations for defamation — in which your sloth (or whatever else may explain your inaction to date) has not yet extinguished your potential claims.
Nevertheless, you're also doubtless aware that with each additional day that passes, the evidentiary trail grows colder; potential witnesses' memories fade; and the chances that jurors are likely to take your potential claims seriously continue to evaporate. There is no possible tactical or strategic benefit to your continuing to withhold your claims, and there are overwhelming downsides to doing so. Your delay is inexplicable if you believe your claims are meritorious.
On the other hand, regardless of limitations, truth is a defense to a defamation claim — whether that claim has been brought in days, weeks, months, years, or even decades after the alleged libel or slander is published. A defendant might even voluntarily choose to waive his or its limitations defenses. And even a defendant who has asserted an applicable statute of limitations as an affirmative defense may nevertheless choose, as a tactical preference, not to bring an early summary judgment motion. Indeed, some defendants may quite relish the opportunity to begin discovery on the merits, being delighted to finally have an opportunity to have subpoena power, oaths, and penalties of perjury to help them finally dig out the truth.
In fact, just based on my own personal experience with him, Senator, I'd sorta bet that John O'Neill would not only waive limitations, but even pay your filing fees for you!
Seriously, though, Senator, some folks might draw the inference that rather than your having just forgotten the one-year anniversary of the publication of Unfit for Command — oopsies! — you're instead desperately afraid to ever face cross-examination under oath, or document subpoenas of yourself and your hagiographer Doug Brinkley, or the rest of the brilliant spotlight that accompanies a public lawsuit. Folks might become more and more convinced that you've very deliberately let most state statutes of limitations expire already, and that you'll continue to allow the clock to run on any that haven't yet.
The 2008 campaign season is right around the corner, Senator, and nobody is likely to forget the SwiftVets' allegations before then. If you believe that you have a legitimate defamation lawsuit, sir, you must use it or lose it. Put up or shut up. You snooze, you lose.
Tick-tock, Senator. Tick-tock!
Jimmy crack corn -n- I don't care!
Jimmy crack corn -n- I don't care!
Jimmy crack corn -n- I don't caaaaaare!
My master (John O'Neil) is gone awayyyyyyy!
Ping for Hanoi John...
Whatever happened to the 180 form? He said he signed but did he tell the truth?
I hope Hillary shreds him.
No stairway to heaven....good one :) the joke...not the song....
He did sign one... but instead of turning it into the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, he turned it into the Department of the Navy. The Department of the Navy only has a subset of the records, which Kerry has already vetted when he had them transferred from the National Personnel Records Center to the Navy.
A shell game from a shell of a man.
Thanks for the ping!
Beldar?
From the Moons of Meepzorp!
I see John Kerry made an appearence at the Nextel Cup race in NH yesterday. Must be he's figured out that fooling the NASCAR dads will require developing an intrest in the sport.
I wish him luck.
He'll need it with the Nascar Dads. They're not as stupid as they look.
LOL JUST KIDDING. I'M MARRIED TO ONE.
Especially if we have anything to do about it!
Rove Credits Swiftvets With 'Energizing' Bush Vote (Thank You Karl Rove!)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1345603/posts
"LOL JUST KIDDING. I'M MARRIED TO ONE."
I'm not easilly offended. The easiest way to piss me off is to try to fool me the way so many politicians attempt to do.
BTTT!!!!!
"Whatever happened to the 180 form? He said he signed but did he tell the truth?"
Kerry Hangs Back From Disclosure to All
The NY Sun June 9, 2005 Josh Gerstein
http://www.nysun.com/article/15135
Did Kerry really release Navy records?
Chicagao Sun Times June 9, 2005 THOMAS H. LIPSCOMB
http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-lip09.html
Did you see this...?
(The 'Kerry's Promise Counter')
http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=6628
Polipundit even tells you how to install it on your own page!
Thanks for the links...the answer is NO...he's playing a con game again (shades of slick willie).
Another question: I saw on the Donnie Deusch-bag show a clip of Kerry saying he just went to Iraq and Mosul. Did he or another lie?
Really, he really went to Iraq? Did he ever leave the airport area (just kidding).
Well, this is Kerry-speak...a couple of weeks ago could have meant Jan or Feb. Just like him to get in the fact that "I was there in Iraq...aren't I brave? I'm sure he only did it for his next run at the WH.
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