Gingrich Campaign Threatens to Sue Over Attack Ads

[babylonsister]

I love the infighting!


Gingrich Campaign Threatens to Sue Over Attack Ads
By TRIP GABRIEL


ATLANTA — With Newt Gingrich campaigning in Georgia on Friday to defend his home turf from competition that has suddenly heated up, a lawyer for his campaign threatened to sue Georgia television stations that run attack ads from a pro-Mitt Romney “super PAC” that connect Mr. Gingrich to Nancy Pelosi and China’s one-child policy.

In a cease-and-desist letter, the lawyer refers to ads run by the super PAC, Restore Our Future, that assert Mr. Gingrich “co-sponsored a bill with Nancy Pelosi that would have given $60 million a year to a U.N. program supporting China’s brutal one-child policy.’’

The lawyer, Patrick Millsaps, writes that the fact-checking site PolitFact found that statement to be a “pants on fire” falsehood, and he warned television stations that if they continue to run the ad “after your receipt of this letter, it will be a knowing publication of a false statement.”

He threatened “potential civil liability.’”

more...

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/gingrich-campaign-threatens-to-sue-over-attack-ads/

[NAO]

1. I am glad to see the push-back against total lies in attack ads

Painting someone negative with imagery, distorting their position, and cherry picking their worst quotes out of context are bad enough, but when a statement is about a matter of fact, and it's patently false, there should be legal consequences.

I don't think Newt should have to use his treasure chest to prosecute this. It should be the FEC.

[KharmaTrain]

2. Freedom Of Speech Is A Real Pisser...

Here's a suit that would get laughed out of court faster than it was filed. Gnooot is a "public" figure...and thus has little to no "privacy"...meaning Millard's people can say or do whatever they want...and they know it. This is more desparation from a blowhard who wouldn't hesitate to flind the mud back. Gnooot's real problem is he's one day closer to total irrelevancy. Maybe he can sue himself about that one...

[babylonsister]

3. Notice he's not going after Romney, but GA? noot knows...

[Ebadlun]

5. I don't know

The lie in the Romney add is a massive, stinking turdburger - I'd like to think there should be some comeback.

[babylonsister]

6. Which lie do you speak of? nt

[Ebadlun]

7. This one

http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2012/jan/12/restore-our-future/newt-gingrich-nancy-pelosi-china-one-child-policy/

[babylonsister]

8. Thanks, but I can't trust any of the rethugs. They're trying to 'out' each other, and

the truth doesn't matter, does it.

Honestly, from me, it would be more of a fight if there was a viable candidate from the gop. I don't see one.

[The Magistrate]

10. And 'Politifact', Sir, is Barnyard Product as Usual

Gingrich was a co-sponsor of the bill; so was Speaker Pelosi: the statement he co-sponsored the bill with her is true. that he did not do so as promptly as she did does not affect the accuracy of the statement.

The bill intended to give money to a United Nations body which did indeed support the Chinese 'one child' program. Money is fungible: a clause in the bill stating funds from it could not be used for that purpose is essentially meaningless, as the additional money would simply free up some other funds that could go to the 'forbidden' purpose, since the body would have an aditional sixty millions available. Nor does a sequestration by Reagan after the bill passed affect the matter. The statement that the bill appropriated funds for a U.N. body that supported the Chinese program is accurate.

The 'Politifact' people do not, put bluntly, seem to have a very good handle on the meaning of the words 'fact' and 'accurate'....

[KharmaTrain]

11. Simple...

Nooooot and his billionaire can buy their own turdburgers. It's "capitalism"...let the marketplace decide. The ultimate game is to detatch the money from the speech, but that's not where we're at. I'm grateful for the rushpublicans showing us how devestating Citizens United is and by using on their own. The sad problem is none of these politicians (and the many how make their livelihoods on endless campaigns) will do much to fix this problem after the elections. It's gonna take several nasty election cycles for the public to finally say enough...and even then politicians are addicted to the money...

[Skip Intro]

4. Newt and Sarah should have a whine-off. nt

[babylonsister]

9. Could happen-there's lots of time! nt

[Lil Missy]

12. Politifact is not a reliable source. Noot - chickens are coming home to roost. n/t