Former Idaho Republican chair takes libel case to state supreme court

[Judi Lynn]

Former Idaho Republican chair takes libel case to state supreme court

12:22 PM MST on Thursday, December 29, 2005
Associated Press

COEUR D'ALENE -- A former Idaho Republican Party chairman who sued a Spokane, Washington, newspaper for libel is taking his case to the Idaho Supreme Court.

Trent Clark has alleged that he was misquoted in a Spokesman-Review story in 2001.Clark claims he never said, "You probably cannot find an African American male on the street in Washington, D.C. that hasn't been arrested or convicted of a crime."

He says he really said, "I know of no African American males in Washington D.C. who don't have at least a couple of friends who have been arrested or convicted of a felony."

But so far, 1st District Court Judges Eugene Marano and Charles Hosack have thrown out Clark's claim, saying there was no evidence of malice and that the two statements amount to essentially the same thing.
(snip/)

http://www.ktvb.com/news/localnews/stories/ktvbn-dec2905-libel_case.26397a3b.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Idiot Republicans never give up. Here's a story from November:

Ex-Idaho GOP leader's libel lawsuit dismissed
Decision of lower court upheld, but judge cites different reason
Taryn Brodwater
Staff writer
November 16, 2005

A libel lawsuit against The Spokesman-Review by the former chairman of Idaho's Republican Party has been dismissed.

Trent Clark filed the lawsuit against the paper in 2003, alleging that reporter Thomas Clouse misquoted him in a Feb. 2, 2001, article.

Tuesday's ruling by 1st District Judge Charles Hosack upheld a Magistrate Court decision that granted summary judgment in the newspaper's favor. Hosack, though, dismissed the suit on different grounds than 1st District Judge Eugene Marano.
(snip)

Marano had dismissed Clark's claim on the grounds that there was no evidence of malice on the newspaper's behalf. On appeal, Hosack found that the case should be dismissed because "the gist of the written quote and the gist of the alleged actual statement is substantially the same."

Clark could not be reached for comment at his Soda Springs, Idaho, home on Tuesday afternoon.

Newspaper attorney Duane Swinton said the paper was pleased "that two different judges for different reasons have dismissed the case."
(snip/...)

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:EU0l4UwVpwIJ:www.spokesmanreview.com/idaho/story.asp%3FID%3D101554+%22Trent+Clark%22+%2B+Spokane&hl=en


He's mentioned at this site as a lobbyist for Monsanto:
http://www.publicintegrity.org/lobby/profile-pf.aspx?act=agencies&year=2003&ag=018

[Surya Gayatri]

1. The more rotten and corrupt

they are, the more they will fight to exonerate themselves. Look for Delay to follow a similar path in his legal battles. Once these crooks have tasted the spoils of power, they are indefatigable in their attempts to grab it back. Look at their long road to absolute power since the Conservative debacle in 1964--it's taken them 40 long years, but how their dogged, single-minded perseverance has paid off! SG

Edited for spelling...

[blueknight]

2. is it just me....

or does it seem like all neo-cons have the same look?

[anotherdrew]

4. yep

and it's just begging to be wiped off their faces

[anotherdrew]

3. what an ass

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. You know what's funny?

The quotes themselves (either the exact or inexact one) wouldn't be enough for me to flag him as a racist.

Now, his lawsuit-happy reaction triggers my spider-sense. I say racist.

[sandnsea]

10. They should, here's why

At least the second one. Because "I know of NO MALE (or female) who doesn't have at least a couple of friends who have been arrested or convicted of a felony." Between distant relatives, school buddies, co-workers, neighbors; everybody knows somebody who has been arrested for something serious.

[Supersedeas]

6. How dare you expose me for what I am!!!

[banana republican]

7. OMFG A Repuke attacking a Repuke Newspaper....

will miracles never cease.....

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. A priceless distinction.

[superconnected]

9. I could say the same about Republican politicans.

[MagickMuffin]

11. Is this another one of those Frivolous Lawsuits?

Seems to me this is exactly what they would consider a waste of the court system.

What a putz!

putz n 1: (Yiddish) a fool; an idiot 2: obscene terms for penis

Who knew that a putz was an obscene term for penis? How fitting!

[LincolnMcGrath]

12. I said they was all Coons, Not Spear Chuckers!!

:eyes:

I hope this case gets all they press it truly deserves. :puke: