DNC Attorneys Send Cease and Desist Letter to Free Republic

Newsbusters ^ | 05/13/07 | Noel Sheppard

[Kid Shelleen]

The Howard Dean-Kathleen Sebelius-Kansas tornado story has taken an interesting turn.

Scott Johnson at Power Line reported Saturday that attorneys representing the Democratic National Committee have sent a cease and desist letter to Free Republic due to a post at its website --snip-- As an interesting sidebar, the folks at Free Republic don't seem too concerned with Sandler's letter, for the post in question is still available.

[wildbill]

As I read it, Coffee260 was simply reporting on what he heard on a radio show from some talk show host.

Disredarding the constitutional issues, I don’t see how someone can be legally liable for repeating what he hears on the air.

I think this letter from legal counsel is an impermissable intimidation against all legal ethics.

[RightWhale]

Hugh existing thread.

[SteamShovel]

DNC Attorneys Send Cease and Desist Letter to Free Republic

If people are discussing what was said on a radio show, they are not the ones making the allegation. If they are now discussing both the radio show and the DNC response, what law is being broken? It is not as if the allegation was originated HERE.

If this is successful, then the right to discuss ANY news event is in question. I doubt this will ultimately be successful.

If the allegation was made here in an original post then it might have a chance based on slander. But I don't think discussing what they perceive as a slander in another venue is fair game for "Cease and Desist".

[bannie]

"SOURCES SAY" We need to preface EVERY post with, "SOURCES SAY:" It's the band-aid.

;-)

snicker...

[arthurus]

What sort of protection do you think Mr Giuliani is going to be against a resurgence of the Fairness in Media law? He has the same authoritarian proclivities as do the Democrats in Congress. He will “deal” on it when it comes up and make it a little worse or a little less onerous but we will still get it. And this time it will be used as a launch pad for general control of the press. When it passes with a Republican president it will be much closer to impregnable- impervious to repeal because it will have OUR name on it.

[upchuck]

From the article (from the DNC's letter):

The statement made by Mr. Quinn, repeated on FreeRepublic.com, is demonstrably, unequivocally and absolutely false. Governor Dean had no such conversation with Governor Sebelius, ever.

Demonstrably false? Okay, we're waiting...

{{ crickets }}

[SlowBoat407]

Cut the letter into four inch wide strips and put it next to the FR toilet where it can serve it’s true “useful purpose”.

[Politicalmom]

I say that every election season. You would think we could find more than a single “pit bull” in the entire GOP.

[Fido969]

Here ya go:

http://www.trinitydc.edu/images/20030925_Pelosi_Sebelius.jpg

[spectre]

"So do all you Rudy bashers see how the left operates ! Lets stay united behind all the RNC candidates and fight the real ENEMY of America , THE DNC!

We know exactly how the left operates, and Rudy is still a RINO.

Don't preach to us how we need to support ALL RNC candidates, because YOU seem to believe in any old port in a storm.

sw

[Enterprise]

Katie Couric interviews people and will use a phrase like “Some people would say.....” Yet, I don’t hear people rushing to get cease and desist orders for her based on what she is alleging that others are saying. Similarly, someone who states “I heard on the radio that.....” should be in the same category, and rather that sue the person who heard something, go after the people who actually said it.

[Enterprise]

An ode to Democrats:

They waddle like a duck
the live in the muck
they always pass the buck
and they suck suck suck

[o_zarkman44]

Looks like DNC Lawyers are about to make the price of free speech go up.

Perhaps another freep-athon is in order to raise legal defense money?

I say file a counter suit back at em!

[KC-10A BOOMER]

These are the same people that constantly whine about “Freedom of Speech.” But, then again you are only allowed that luxury if you are in lock-step with their world view. Priceless, you just can’t make this stuff up.

[KenmcG414]

No surprise here. The pinko socialist RATS would like to do nothing more than stifle free speech.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Suck it, DNC.

[ErnBatavia]

This thing seems to have legs.

So does the "Sebelius Scenario"...they've accomplished their mission. Yesterday morning's (Southern California) above-the-fold feature headline reads, "State short on disaster equipment".

[gitmo]

So the question is, "Did Jim Quinn on the 'Quinn & Rose' XM Satellite radio show state that:

DNC Chairman Governor Howard Dean had called Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D-Kan.) “around 5:00 a.m. one morning after a tornado had destroyed the town of Greensburg, Kansas and discussed with her what to say about the tornado and how to blame the war in Iraq and the Bush administration on a slow response to the aftermath.”

Assuming that is true, what is Dean's gripe?

[justiceseeker93]

Fortunately, the 'Rats don't own the judiciary lock, stock, and barrel - at least not yet. Until they do, this kind of defamation suit is a loser for them, and threatening one is merely an act of intimidation.

Interesting that the DNC seems to be monitoring FR. Perhaps that stems from the exposure here of Dan Rather's fraud re President Bush's National Guard Service during the '04 presidential campaign.

In the paranoid minds of the DNC, we here at FR are definitely part of the vast right-wing conspiracy.

[freespirited]

Interesting that the DNC seems to be monitoring FR.

I guess they worry that their moonbats read us, and that we just might talk sense into some of them.