Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Shirley Sherrod says she will sue Andrew Breitbart
Hotair ^ | 07/29/2010 | Ed Morrissey

Posted on 07/29/2010 12:33:22 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Via Ben Smith at Politico, the utterly predictable next step in the swamp that has become the Sherrod story has taken place:

Ousted Agriculture Department employee Shirley Sherrod said Thursday she will sue a conservative blogger who posted an edited video of her making racially tinged remarks last week.

The edited video posted by Andrew Breitbart led Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to ask Sherrod to resign, a decision he reconsidered after seeing the entire video of her March speech to a local NAACP group. In the full speech, Sherrod spoke of racial reconciliation and lessons she learned after initially hesitating to help a white farmer save his home.

She said she doesn’t want an apology from Breitbart for posting the video that took her comments out of context, but told a crowd at the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention that she would “definitely sue.”

Sue Breitbart for what, though? Defamation? Sherrod is a public official, which makes that kind of lawsuit darned near impossible. Breitbart used the clip to criticize the NAACP, not Sherrod directly, although she certainly came into the line of fire. People are allowed to criticize public officials in harsh and even unfair terms, especially when they make public remarks.

A court is not likely to look favorably on this for another reason — Sherrod’s public statements about Breitbart. She accused him of being pro-slavery, which is a ridiculous and demagogic attack. Even if a court somehow found that Breitbart acted with malice specifically towards Sherrod to a level that overcomes the right to criticize public officials and that he lied about Sherrod specifically in doing so, under those same terms Breitbart would have a countercase against Sherrod. Otherwise, Breitbart has become enough of a public figure that Sherrod’s statements about him would probably not be actionable, either.

This lawsuit will make a big splash and keep the story alive for a while, but its value is strictly limited to PR. I somehow doubt that the Obama administration will see that as beneficial to its own objectives, either, as they seem as anxious to bury the story as anyone involved.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: andrewbreitbart; lawsuit; searchandfind; shirleysherrod
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-88 next last

1 posted on 07/29/2010 12:33:24 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Yep, she’z no stranger to litigation.

She’z tryin to hit one outta the park with a big ol payday.


2 posted on 07/29/2010 12:35:12 PM PDT by servantboy777
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Cranial rectal inversion, methinks.


3 posted on 07/29/2010 12:35:32 PM PDT by Wicket (God bless and protect our troops and God bless America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I’m gonna sue Sherrod, as an agribusiness man of pale complection I view her and her husband’s rants as slander.


4 posted on 07/29/2010 12:35:40 PM PDT by junta (S.C.U.M. = State Controlled Unreliable Media)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

She doesn’t have a prayer.


5 posted on 07/29/2010 12:36:07 PM PDT by jpl (It's "My Big Fat Deadly Greek Riot", coming soon to a bankrupt socialist state near you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind; All

So posting an unedited video of a public speech is against the law now?

Breitbart posted the full video he had in his possession to the best of my knowledge.


6 posted on 07/29/2010 12:36:56 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA (Anti-Gunners suffer from Factose Intolerance)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jpl

And...”discovery” would be such fun.


7 posted on 07/29/2010 12:37:22 PM PDT by goodnesswins (DEMOCRATS LOSE.....America WINS!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

She will lose...he posted the entire video on the first day and can’t be blamed for her boss’ apparent ADD (since he acted before viewing the whole video)


8 posted on 07/29/2010 12:37:46 PM PDT by CAluvdubya (WASS!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I hope Breitbart sues for every penny sherrod has. She is guilty of slander and libel. He showed an actual clip of her—and the left does clips all the time with no fear of reprisal.


9 posted on 07/29/2010 12:37:46 PM PDT by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like what you say))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Enter the lawyers....the REAL power in the once proud Republic.


10 posted on 07/29/2010 12:37:53 PM PDT by Le Chien Rouge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: junta

she would have to have character in order for it to have been defamed!


11 posted on 07/29/2010 12:38:50 PM PDT by sappy (criminallibs)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

For possessing a tape that caused the president to act stupidly?


12 posted on 07/29/2010 12:39:25 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jpl

She doesn’t care if she has a prayer.

She’s gonna get millions of dollars of air time and become a martyr for the victimhood movement no matter how this goes.

If she wins, she gets money, bragging rights, a halo over her head.

If she loses, she gets exactly the same things, plus the chance to bash the “white-run judicial system in this corrupt nation.”


13 posted on 07/29/2010 12:39:39 PM PDT by Steely Tom (Obama goes on long after the thrill of Obama is gone)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Yeah, he’s the one who fired her without doing an investigation.


14 posted on 07/29/2010 12:39:47 PM PDT by whence911 (Here illegally? Go home. Get in line!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Where is she now? The czarina of something?


15 posted on 07/29/2010 12:40:50 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (I am in America but not of America (per bible: am in the world but not of it))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Bring it on!


16 posted on 07/29/2010 12:41:03 PM PDT by dhuynh73 (Reagan Country)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
posted an edited video

I guess ole Juornolist Ben doesn't know the difference between edit and excerpt.

She was for racism before she was against it anyway.

17 posted on 07/29/2010 12:41:06 PM PDT by Clint N. Suhks (RIP Bahbah. Did you plug the damn border yet daddy! Palin/Cheney 2012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cripplecreek

exactly. it’s not like she didn’t say what was on the tape, either!


18 posted on 07/29/2010 12:41:50 PM PDT by sappy (criminallibs)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I bet Brietbart is licking his chops at the prospect of taking her deposition. This is definitely a popcorn worthy event.


19 posted on 07/29/2010 12:41:53 PM PDT by circlecity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cripplecreek

How about the NAACP? Didn’t they bring this puppy to the light first?


20 posted on 07/29/2010 12:42:25 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (I am in America but not of America (per bible: am in the world but not of it))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-88 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson