Minnesota political blogger being sued for defamation

StarTribune/AP ^ | 1/4/06 | Patrick Condon, Associated Press

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

A Democratic public relations consultant is suing a Republican blogger for defamation in a case that could offer a key test of the First Amendment rights of bloggers. The lawsuit pits Blois Olson, the president of PR firm New School Communications and a well-known Democratic political commentator, against Michael Brodkorb, a Republican operative who publishes the blog "Minnesota Democrats Exposed."

In the lawsuit, which will be filed in Dakota County District Court, Olson disputes a series of postings by Brodkorb last week about criticisms Olson made of the congressional campaign of fellow Democrat Coleen Rowley. Brodkorb wrote that an anonymous source told him that the Rowley campaign refused to hire New School Communications for consulting work, prompting Brodkorb to ask why Olson didn't disclose that when he criticized Rowley in several news stories.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

I was going to put this in bloggers/general, but I believe this may be the beginning of things to come...

I'll let the mods judge.

[Mamzelle]

Bump--after all, the trial lawyers are all Dems.

[MNJohnnie]

Amazing the NSA Leaker is "a whistle blower" yet a blogger is sued for Defamation for reporting. Welcome to the brave new world of Leftist Doublespeak.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Not in Dakota County...;-)

[TXnMA]

Hey, AP/Red Star: Why is it that DumbocRats are always "consultants" -- and Republicans are always "operatives"?

No doubt about it, Bernie Goldberg was right on the money...

[FlashBack]

The Dems doing what they always do when "exposed", smear the messenger, threaten with a lawsuit, then their defeat will be buried on page 28 next to the Recipe Of The Day in the Lifestyles section.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

I'm surprised they aren't filing charges in Hennepin or Ramsey county. Much more friendly audience.

[GOPJ]

No doubt about it, Bernie Goldberg was right on the money...

You're right about Bernie - he was right. But this goes beyond that.

Dems are always screaming about free speech rights -- the rights of every low life and pornographer. But political speech? Dems are trying to shut that down. Sick.

[FlashBack]

You may have a point there.

[quantim]

When the left eats it's own it is always news.

[Cboldt]

hen the left eats it's own it is always news.

But reporting of the left eating its own is defamation. LOL.

[okie01]

"Bloggers, by their very nature, are not expected to adhere to the same standards of accuracy that those in the mainstream media would be."

If they are to have any credibility whatsoever, bloggers MUST have a higher standard of accuracy than the mainstream media.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Yeah, that line comes from complete and total ignorance.

[PAR35]

The plaintiffs appear to be ill-advised. Defamation suits are always messy, truth is an absolute defense, and corporate defamation is particularly difficult to establish.

[FOG724]

You should always go with the official title.

[Fledermaus]

It is impossible to defame a Democrat.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

They have changed the title of the story since I first posted it.

Honest.

[FOG724]

Yes it happens. I had a friend do that, post a story and the title changed on him. He was suspended for it.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

That's the problem with the Strib. The continually change on the fly, while using the original URL.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Notice, also, that the original story from the AP has been taken over by two local Strib "reporters".

SPIN ON!!!!