JOINT PRESS RELEASE BY FREE REPUBLIC LLC & CITY OF FRESNO [CITY OFFICIALLY RETRACTS LIBELOUS STMNT]

Official City of Fresno Web Site ^ | 01/16/04 | City of Fresno/Free Republic

[Jim Robinson]

JOINT PRESS RELEASE BY

FREE REPUBLIC LLC & CITY OF FRESNO

On September 12, 2003, the City of Fresno’s Human Relations Commission issued a news release describing Free Republic LLC as a “hate group” and accusing it of threatening violence towards minority groups. As a result of this, on September 22, 2003, Free Republic LLC filed a claim with the City of Fresno, which was a procedural first step in filing a lawsuit for defamation. Free Republic LLC and the City of Fresno announce that this dispute has been fully resolved.

The City of Fresno officially retracts the press release and acknowledges that the City had no basis for referring to the Free Republic as a hate group or accusing them of making threats against minorities. The City of Fresno also wishes to announce that Debbie Reyes, the Chair of its Human Relations Commission has resigned from her position, effective January 2, 2004.

Questions regarding this matter may be directed to either of the contacts set forth below.

Free Republic Charles L. Doerksen - 559 233 3434

City of Fresno Michael Slater, Assistant City Attorney – 559 621 7500

[chadsworth]

I may be forced to quit posting lawyer jokes.

Don't you dare stop posting lawyer jokes. Besides that, there are only two real lawyer JOKES, all the rest of the jokes aren't jokes, they are true. ;>}

[JustAmy]

A doctor vacationing on the Riviera met an old lawyer friend and asked him what he was doing there.

The lawyer replied, "Remember that lousy real estate I bought? Well, it caught fire, so here I am with the fire insurance proceeds. What are you doing here?"

The doctor replied, "Remember that lousy real estate I had in Mississippi? Well, the river overflowed, and here I am with the flood insurance proceeds."

The lawyer looked puzzled. "Gee," he asked, "how do you start a flood?"

[JustAmy]

A new client had just come in to see a famous lawyer.
"Can you tell me how much you charge?", said the client.
"Of course", the lawyer replied, "I charge $200 to answer three questions!"
"Well that's a bit steep, isn't it?"
"Yes it is", said the lawyer, "And what's your third question?"

[chadsworth]

So those are the jokes; then everything else must be true? LOL ;>)

[JustAmy]

LOL

Guess so.

; )

[danamco]

Hope all the talk shows pick up on this great news. Congratulation and may free speech prevail!

[danamco]

Hope all the talk shows pick up on this great news. Congratulation and may free speech prevail!

[CyberAnt]

This is a great victory Jim!

[Chad Fairbanks]

Great news, Jim!

[risk]

I'd like to point out that this is the taxpayers' money.

[JustAmy]

When the city hires someone with an agenda, the taxpayers pay for that agenda.

The taxpayers should demand that the City do a little research before letting someone like Debbie Reyes have access to city letterhead!

[Jim Robinson]

And I'd like to point out that the government has no business trampling on our rights.

[risk]

I agree, and I am happy that you won in your efforts to defend our reputations. I just think FR shouldn't need to accept government money to prove this point, and that acceptance may come with a larger pricetag in the years to come. I think the retraction is a positive enough victory.

[Jim Robinson]

Whatever. Next time perhaps they'll be a bit more careful.

[LisaMalia]

Interesting....

[Free2Be49]

Thank you for posting this update.  I read the original post when the claim was made.  I have been wondering what became of that, if anything.  I had seen one of your rallies on C-Span and observed how well your leadership handled the provocateurs.  Certainly, the participants held the high road.

I also know how diligent your moderators are in preventing the board from degenerating into mindless hate speech.  Therefore, I was so surprised to read the statement of Debbie Reyes, the Chair of its Human Relations Commission.  People like her who get a little power combined with unbridled arrogance think there is no limit to the calumnious remarks she can publish about groups with whom she has a strong philosophical disagreement.

This time, however, she picked on a group with the financial wherewithal to object to such shoddy treatment, and as a conservative, I was happy to see you challenge her.  Now I'm happier to see the City of Fresno moderate their public image by making a public retraction, accepting Debbie Reyes resignation and hopefully charting a new course for the Human Relations Commission that will find a more inclusive attitude for conservatives who wish to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly.  I applaud you, Jim Robinson.

[Jim Robinson]

Look, we gave them ample opportunity to retract and apologize. They refused to do so. Instead of apologizing, they were still gunning for us. This commission was nothing more than an extension of Peace Fresno, the liberal peacenik group we had been counter protesting against every Friday night for two years on the corner of Blackstone and Shaw.

They were still trashing us in the news for weeks after Reyes' first libelous attack. We hired a lawyer and filed notice of intent to sue. Still no offer to retract. Nothing but more badmouthing. The commission was totally out of control. They wanted to harm us and I believe it was their intent to deprive us of our right to peaceful assembly in our own community.

Hell, they continued to badmouth us even after we reached a settlement. It appears they even tried to weasel out of this press release. By our agreement, it was supposed to have been released Monday morning. In this case, I believe they would rather have spent the taxpayer's money than admit a mistake and or to print a retraction and an apology.

In fact, they flatly refuse to apologize even now. If you will read the "$60,000" article printed in the Fresno Bee Monday Morning, you will see that the City still refuses to accept responsibility and or to apologize even though they've finally retracted rather than face a breach of contract penalty. And Reyes is far from repentant. She's still badmouthing us by saying the City should have fought the lawsuit. And the "rather pay $20 to these guys than litigate" comment made by the President of the City Council is totally irresponsible.

Perhaps we let them off the hook too easily.

And I'll repeat that it would not have cost the City or the taxpayers a single red cent had they just done the right thing in the first place and published an apology and retraction and fired the person responsible.

[JustAmy]

[windchime]

Bump!

[MindBender26]

Debbie Reyes, the Chair of its Human Relations Commission has resigned from her position....

And don't let the door hit you in the ......