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‘JOHN DOE’ SUIT SEEKS TO OUT CULPRIT, END LIBELOUS ASSAULTS
The culprits behind an anonymous attack on South Carolina Rep. Rita Allison could soon find themselves in some serious legal trouble.
The State Republican Party and House Speaker Bobby Harrell announced Thursday that they had joined with Allison in filing a defamation suit to out the attackers and send a message that false and slanderous attacks won’t be tolerated in South Carolina.
“Bare-knuckled politics is a South Carolina tradition, but when someone crosses the line from hardball to falsely attacking someone’s reputation, it cannot be allowed to stand,” SCGOP Chairman Karen Floyd said. “It does not matter whether the person is a Republican or a Democrat, or a man or a woman. We are here today to say ‘no more’ and to put anyone engaging in these kinds of tactics on notice that it will not be tolerated.”
Allison’s personal reputation was recently attacked in an anonymous mailing that was sent to dozens or more of her friends and constituents in her House district. She has now filed a “John Doe” lawsuit, with the hope of encouraging someone to come forward with information about who was behind the attack.
[VIEW ALLISON'S OFFICIAL COMPLAINT]
Allison said she filed the suit in hopes of keeping other people from going through a similar experience.
“A lot of people told me I should just ignore this and let it go away, but I thought if it were possible for me to make a difference that I should take a stand,” Allison said. “This has been an incredibly hurtful situation for me and my family, unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in my years in public service. If we can find out who did this and prevent others from going through the same thing, it will salvage some good from this situation.”
Harrell joined Floyd and Allison for the announcement, noting that these attack tactics “cheapen the political process.”
“Making these false charges against someone is cowardly, and cheapens the political process. These types of attacks are one of the reasons why good people hesitate to get into politics,” said Harrell. “I am proud to stand with my good friend Rita against these unwarranted attacks. Rita and I came into the legislature at the same time and during that time I have seen how she is a dedicated public servant and a devoted wife, mother and grandmother.”
Floyd also announced the formation of a SC GOP Legal Defense Fund, which is being created to help other elected officials who are victim of defamatory attacks.
I think SC rep. Joe Wilson should take some pointers from Allsion and sue all those who ignorantly whined to the media that he was a racist! Set an example for the future and hopefully stop the great race divison that our Government is creating!
Such a suit borders on a lose/lose situation with a public political figure vs. freedom of speech.
A well written denial and condemnation by her might work much better in the long run.
In any case, it will be interesting to see how this turns out.
The hateful anonymous attack on Ms. Allison, even though formed as interrogatives, accused her of sexual immorality, adultery, and felonious misconduct in office. Those comments are indeed “slanderous” under the law, and the anonymous author(s) are indeed subject to the legal remedies being sought in the lawsuit. However, the people who interpret Mr. Wilson’s “town hall moment” as racially motivated, or even racist, are protected by the First Amendment. It’s the same First Amendment that protect anonymous bloggers who want to make racially charged remarks calling the NAACP “self-serving”. Some people believe any negative speech that calls them by name is “slander”, while others believe that any media outlet that allows commenting must give them a forum for their speech. Both are wrong, and need to actually read the Constitution.
“Bare-knuckled politics is a South Carolina tradition, but when someone crosses the line from hardball to falsely attacking someone’s reputation, it cannot be allowed to stand,” SCGOP Chairman Karen Floyd said.
So what are going to do when you catch the dirty scumbag Karen? Waterboard him like your party did during the Bush the younger era!