Sinclair threatens to sue Media Matters, including their e-mail list

[roguevalley]

From www.americablog.org

Sinclair threatens to sue Media Matter and all of us too
by John in DC - 1/7/2005 03:38:15 PM

The evil Sinclair broadcasting group, the group that planned to run the entire anti-Kerry attack film on their TV stations around the country right before the election, has threatened to sue David Brock's MediaMatters AND they've threatened to sue ANYONE who JOINS MEDIA MATTERS EMAIL LIST!

Here's my favorite quote from Sinclair's release:

Although Sinclair respects the rights of these organizations to voice their opinions, we find inappropriate that their tactics include advocating their constituency to contact our advertisers in a blatant attempt to use economic pressure to censor the speech of Sinclair. Moreover, the continued misrepresentation of the facts surrounding any company's advertising practices regarding Sinclair stations constitutes "trade defamation" which would entitle Sinclair to seek damages in a court of law. Sinclair will aggressively pursue any organization or any individual which engages in such defamation, including individuals who lend their names to mass e-mail campaigns spreading such misinformation.

Oh man. Make. My. Day.

Sinclair's threatening press release today. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050107/phf019_1.html

David Brock's letter to Staples in response to Sinclair claiming that Staples never promised to quit advertising. http://mediamatters.org/items/200501070003

In response, join Media Matters email list and let's all get sued together! http://mediamatters.org/users/register.html?next=/users/prefs.html

PS Read through Brock's letter, you'll see that Media Matters has the goods on Staples - basically, Staples is now flip-flopping on their promise to drop Sinclair's news shows.

[librechik]

1. BRING IT ON!!!

It would be worth it to get those scumbags under oath!

[tishaLA]

2. I think I'll be joining Media Matter's e-mail list

Let's see if Sinclair has the balls.

[blondeatlast]

12. Yep, I'm in too. nt

[blondeatlast]

20. Funny, that was kind of a liberating experience!

This is gonna be good--and what a boon for David Brock!

[GiovanniC]

39. I Wasn't On It Before...

But I'm on it now. Will they grandfather me into the lawsuit?

[mhr]

3. I Found My Last Penny On The Ground - C'mon Sue Me - I Dare You!

eom

[jackster]

4. uh - DUH

aren't we supposed to be limiting lawsuits according to the resident rat?

first the rethugs in WA, now the slimy Sinclair

wow

guess its only okay if there's an R behind your name

[blondeatlast]

16. Excellent point. Maybe Sinclair is really pissed at the misAdministration

for not getting the memos from the Stink Tanks.

[JaneQPublic]

5. Good thing I read Media Matters via RSS feed. (nt)

[xultar]

6. OK...I still have my SBC email ist. IF oyu need it let me know...n/t

[Zenlitened]

7. Dang. Tried to sign up, but got an error message.

"Systems are down."

Guess their user database is growing quite a bit right now!

I'll try again later. Suing e-mail subscribers? Bring it on!

[FiveGoodMen]

22. I got the same thing, initially...

...but it worked just a minute ago.

[Petrushka]

24. Try it again. I just got through and signed up. [heh] (eom)

[Vincardog]

8. Done and KICK

Let's all get sued together. I am proud o stand up to the EVIL empire.

[imenja]

38. joined too n/t

[Hobarticus]

9. Man, these (R) assclowns sure know how to win hearts and minds....

First guerrila war in Iraq, now suing people over free speech.

[meppie-meppie not]

10. I honestly don't think Sinclair has a leg to stand on

Boycotting has long been one of the tools at hand for the masses to voice their displeasure. I'm not surprised that Sinclair is going this route, what else could be expected coming from the minions of this fascist regime.:argh:

[ananda]

11. So SUE me!

All signed up.

Aaanndd... I'm already SUEd. ;-)

Sue

[msgadget]

13. Hello, punishing advertisers is a page from the GOP handbook!

Remember Whoopi and Slimfast? And, there are too many other boycotted products and stations to mention here although I do have to remind you of the First Mother on the campaign trail telling the faithful which channels to avoid. This cuts both ways.

[KT2000]

14. Good for Brock

he has a way of bringing the cockroaches out into the sunlight for all to see.

I remember seeing "Boycott CBS bumperstickers" on RWer's cars. Lo and behold, Rahter retires and the CBS news president grovels to the white house to assure them they are team players now.
Hope Rather writes a book.

[Junkdrawer]

15. Let me get this straight:

Threatening to boycott advertisers of a media you disagree with is actionable??? Wow, that would open up a BONANZA of suits against a huge number of RW/Fundie organizations, wouldn't it?

[wicket]

17. SUE ME!!!!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I love this!!!!! :kick:

[proud patriot]

18. Sinclair I have 4 words for you "Wholly With Out Merit"

:hi:

[proud patriot]

19. and another thing , this is a frivolous lawsuit

people dying from asbestos is not :grr:

[el_gato]

23. exactly Tort reform to protect corporations but not to protect people

[mcscajun]

21. We're not gonna get sued individually for being on an e-mail list.

(emphahsis mine)

"Sinclair will aggressively pursue any organization or any individual which engages in such defamation, including individuals who lend their names to mass e-mail campaigns spreading such misinformation."

It's not people on MediaMatters' e-mail list who Sinclair will wind up targeting (if he really has the balls to go that far, which I doubt) but people engaging in enouraging putting pressure on Sinclair's advertisers using what he claims is misinformation. Yeah, he'll have lots of luck there. Not.

We have enough legit things to work on, let's not whip ourselves up in a frenzy over a misunderstanding made by a blogger.

Necessary info: I think Media Matters is a fine site and have had them in my bookmarks for a while. They're responding to the Sinclair attack, and they certainly have my support.

[PA Democrat]

28. I recall links posted here on DU which allowed people to send emails

to all of Sinclair's advertisers with one click. So those of us who participated may be targets of their frivolous lawsuit.

I think that Sinclair's threats are a prime example of the hypocrisy of tort reform.

[mcscajun]

29. Those who clicked, maybe...

...but not everyone on MediaMatters mailing list, nor even everyone here at DU (which hasn't been mentioned at all, yet.)

But yeah, hypocrisy abounds over at Sinclair Broadcasting.

[EC]

25. Gee, Isn't that how the "Open Market" is suppose to go?

Isn't it up to us to decide where to shop or not? And if someone or a company supports something or someone I am against, I'll let them know they will not receive my business. Isn't that what it's all about?

[bloom]

26. IF Sinclair could get away with that - the Freepers could all be sued

and probably all of us. And anyone who ever participated in a boycott.

Man is that ever loony. :crazy:

[TheDonkey]

27. I'll be signing up on their email list then!!!

Bring it on! Talk about capitalism.

[Mist]

30. Tried but got a system overload message

Just shows how popular Media Matters is becoming! Seems like Sinclair just gave them a big boost. Is Sinclair threatening to sue everyone who advocates boycotting them?

[feminazi]

31. I just signed up.

screw sinclair

[msanthrope]

32. Come and get me, assholes.

"Trade defamation?" Ha!! Next you'll be threatening "tortious interference with contract."

[FreeStateDemocrat]

33. I signed on with much fear and trepidation. Where is the toilet paper?

[Contrary1]

34. Methinks it is time

to jump start the boycotting of all their advertisers again.
They've got to be feeling it, or they wouldn't be issuing
such asinine statements like this. Let's drive the point home!

It's absolutely... ... (Thanks to goddess40 for my new word for today!)

[imenja]

35. like as they might, freedom of speech and assembly is a right

They can't prevail, at least not against subscribers.

[Clark2008]

36. Sue on the basis of what?

Anyone can bring a suit at anywhere at any time.

However, what law are they going to say that Media Matters violated?

This is quite stupid. We should write Sinclair and ask them why they're tying up the courts with the frivolous law suits they say they despise?

[imenja]

41. that they sponsored a boycott

"trade defamation". What kind of lawyers do they have there. They must think Media Matters will back down simply because they are threatened with a suit.

[imenja]

37. "trade defamation"

Is that the right to make millions of dollars without the consent of the consumer? Don't think that will work, and if it does, we use it as precedent against the right.

[Pallas180]

40. th're suing for inciting boycott??? HAR HAHAHAHAHAHAH

fukem

[electric-eye]

42. Just signed up.

Now where can I send a big Fuck You to sinclair...

[TabulaRasa]

43. Magnificent

I just signed up. I hope their lawyer is that PR flack piece of garbage they sent out to talk about the Kerry movie. I think he was like VP or something. God, I'd love to see the shit-eating look on that guy's face when they're laughed out of court.

[proudbluestater]

44. There's a lawsuit that will get thrown out quickly!

The MFer is using PUBLIC airwaves that belong to WE, THE PEOPLE, to broadcast his propaganda. And we should just, again, sit down and shut the fuck up, right? Goosestep, anyone?

I will contact WHOMEVER I please to stop this evil bastard. I already have, in fact.

[insane_cratic_gal]

45. LOL I mailed their advertisers!

and proud of it!

Gave target a piece of my mind

Oh and they'll be suing a military family to boot. Let Limbaugh explain that one!