Posted on 08/05/2014 7:00:31 PM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo
Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura launched Tuesday a public relations campaign to explain why he filed the high-profile defamation suit he won last week.
In a wide-ranging interview on WCCO Radio, and in an online video on Ora.tv, Ventura repeatedly said the lawsuit was not about the money; it was about clearing his name.
“For me, it was always about the lie,” said Ventura, the former Navy SEAL and professional wrestler, who said he would have settled for an apology if the publishers of “American Sniper” admitted they fabricated a story about him.
“All they did was offer money,” he said. “I refused, because I wanted to get my name back.”
Chris Kyle, the author of the best-selling book, said he “punched out” Ventura for making offensive comments about Navy SEALs, an incident Ventura denies ever happened.
A jury last week awarded Ventura $1.8 million in damages for defamation and “unjust enrichment”.
An unapologetic Ventura said he had no second thoughts about suing Chris Kyle’s widow, Taya Kyle, after he was murdered.
He said she used her widow status for sympathy, calling it a legal tactic to make him look bad in court.
“(They thought) the upcoming court battle would look a whole lot better,” he said. “The widow? And the children? Look how I’ve been beaten up over that.”
Ventura said much of the $1.8 million in damages will go to his legal team, whose fees were in “the high hundreds of thousands of dollars”.
But none of it will go to charity or to Taya Kayle, whom he said “is making millions” off the book and an upcoming movie.
“Just because she’s a widow does not mean she can profit from defamation and slander. And that’s what she’s done,” he said.
Ventura also said that not keeping the money would go against what the jury wanted: to reward him for the financial damage he says he suffered because of the book.
“I would never counteract the jury like that,” he said. “To me, that would be like slapping the jury in the face.”
How many trufer videos can he fund with this jackpot?
Ventura was never a Navy SEAL for one day in his life. He was a graduate of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training, and went to a UDT team at a time when SEALs were in combat in Vietnam, and UDT guys were not.
‘CCO says he is a “former Seal” ?
Where have they been ?
Kessler and Jesse have a history...
one guy on a hill , 400 yds away
” strange things happen down in Mexico “
The jury did its job, rendered a true verdict.
And it’s still a free country ...and if I still think Jesse Ventura is a jerk, that’s my right to do so.
Shut up sissy boy. Go count your money you idiot. Don’t forget to send each of the “jurors” something nice.
“Ventura also said that not keeping the money would go against what the jury wanted: to reward him for the financial damage he says he suffered because of the book. “
The biggest bunch of self serving HS I have ever heard.
That’s Jesse...
What a douche he is.
FUJV.
What a putz.
So, if I had found the book slandered Ventura, I would have found on his behalf and award him damages of $1.
“If Ventura’s alive in a year,I’ll be surprised”
Steroids. The silent killer.
The book didn’t mention his name.
I believe kyle far more then him.
Jesse Ventura is evil comic book character. People here have said it best...Karma.
I believe real soldiers.
Wrestlers...
Nah.
Eff you, Ventura.
But, he made an interesting comment here about the jury award and why he wasn't giving it to the widow. It made me think, because the theory of winning the decision to clear his name and then saying he didn't want the money was something I thought sounded good when I first heard it. But things are often different when we take a second look or hear the other side.
I'm still at odds with this episode.
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