DNC Lawyers Work To Muzzle Swift Boat Vets' Ad

humaneventsonline.com via Drudge ^

[Grig]

HUMAN EVENTS has obtained a copy of a letter which lawyers for the Democratic National Committee and John Kerry have sent to television station managers attempting to suppress the blistering anti-Kerry TV spot created by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and first reported here on HumanEventsOnline.com.

The letter claims the ad is "false" and "libelous" and suggests, in not-so-subtle terms, that TV stations should use their "legal authority" to refuse any requests for advertising airtime, stating that "because your station has this freedom [to refuse the ad], and because it is not a 'use' of your facilities by a clearly identified candidate, your station is responsible for the false and libelous charges made by this sponsor" (emphasis added).

As their first piece of evidence of the ad's supposed lies, the DNC/Kerry lawyers claim that the veterans in the ad "purport to have served on Senator Kerry's SWIFT Boat in Vietnam" but, "in fact, not a single one of the men who pretend to have served with Senator Kerry was actually a crewmate of Senator Kerry's." The problem is that none of these men claimed to have served on Kerry's SWIFT Boat. They simply said they "served with John Kerry" -- and they did.

The letter goes on to make several more misleading statements about the advertisement, in an attempt to protect Kerry's "war hero" record. Read the full text below.

[Defiant]

Assuming, of course, libel was established to have occurred.

In discovery, you get to investigate issues such as damages, even though damages will not be provided unless the plaintiff wins. So, the defendants could look into Kerry's whole life as part of the examination of his reputation for truth telling and for being an honorable serviceman. Did you lie about your divorce, did you lie about your service record, did you lie about war crimes, etc.

[Mo1]

"The Great One (Mark Levin) has one of these guys on right now. WABC online for anyone who wants to listen"

I'm listening now

http://www.wabcradio.com/ListenLive.asp

[RightthinkinAmerican]

Yet Kerry seems to suddenly have no recollection of them. Curious.

[jackbill]

I don't believe that was the full statement of the Vets. From listening to Rush reading it today, it seemed longer.

[jackbill]

I don't believe that was the full statement of the Vets. From listening to Rush reading it today, it seemed longer.

[CARTOUCHE]

I doubt money for the swiftboat vets will be a problem. We've been donating money like mad over the past 24 hrs. Their coffers should be filling nicely.

[OXENinFLA]

Well, Brit just played the full ad.

[rwfromkansas]

According to a station manager (who called the ads really well done and that they would be run), there is little threat of getting in trouble because in the packet that included the ads which were sent to stations, AFFIDAVITS......SWORN STATEMENTS.....were included to bolster the claims of the Swift Vets folks.

I wonder if Kerry would sign a sworn statement denying the claims? I doubt it.

[rwfromkansas]

BTW, the manager called into the Hannity program.

[Mo1]

DANG .... missed it

Did they talk about it?

[aruanan]

Hee hee hee hee hee. Suckers!! Man, Kerry looks more and more like someone who likes to get screwed coming and going.

[GarySpFc]

I served in the Special Forces during Nam, and I have long thought Kerry's record was as phoney as an $8 bill.

Today I heard Bill O'Reilly say the weight of evidence is on Kerry's side, because the only one on the boat who served under Kerry was O'Neal. I know that to be incorrect, because Steve Gardner served as a gunner on the boat, and he hates Kerry, and has called him a coward. Likewise, there was a picture on FR showing the crew of Kerry's command, and underneath it listed those who support and those who do not support Kerry. We need to send these items to O'Reilly.

[randog]

You can tell how important an enemy position is by how vigorously he defends it....Kerry's entire campaign has been built upon his service in Vietnam.

Good point. The entire convention consisted of Kerry the Vietnam 'War Hero' and Kerry the Hater of Bush. No plan, no platform (besides his double-plus good super-secret plan that he'll unveil if you just elect him), just J F'n K reporting for duty.

It might just be me, but it's never a good idea to jump in the dog pit wearing hot dog underwear.

[OXENinFLA]

Yeah, Fred was the most supportive, he even mentioned Kerry gunning down the guy in the loin cloth.

Mort commented on Scott McCLELLAN's comments. (here) and Charles said he didn't think anything good for the repubs would come from this.

[davidwendell]

I just watched the ad. That is devastating! No wonder the DNC is doing all they can to fight it.

[Iron Eagle]

Bingo -- we have a winner.

Many local stations may buckle though. Is there a Civil Rights cause of action on behalf of the Swift boat folks.
For example, does using threats, coercion, and intimidation to limit or block free political speech equal a cause of action?

[Richard Kimball]

They're freaking out. They've only got "he's not George Bush" and "Kerry was in Viet Nam" on which to campaign. The press will accomodate them like they did Clinton, but they have to squash anyone who lets the truth out about Kerry and Nam.

[Political Junkie Too]

I don't remember the count, but, how many of the men who appeared on stage with Kerry at the convention actually served on the boat with him?

-PJ

[GarySpFc]

I don't remember the count, but, how many of the men who appeared on stage with Kerry at the convention actually served on the boat with him?

I heard 2 of the 13 were crewmates, and that's when I saw a picture on FR showing the original crews and underneath which supported and did not support Kerry.

[GarySpFc]

I don't remember the count, but, how many of the men who appeared on stage with Kerry at the convention actually served on the boat with him?

I heard 2 of the 13 were crewmates, and that's when I saw a picture on FR showing the original crews and underneath which supported and did not support Kerry.