Van Jones Considers Legal Action Against Fox News, Demands Glenn Beck Retraction (Cease & Desist)

[Hissyspit]

Source: Sam Stein / Huffington Post

Van Jones Considers Legal Action Against Fox News, Demands Glenn Beck Retraction

First Posted: 06/20/11 08:00 PM ET Updated: 06/20/11 08:12 PM ET

NEW YORK –- After challenging Glenn Beck to a debate over the weekend at Netroots Nation and in a MoveOn.org-sponsored ad Monday, Van Jones may have taken his beef with Beck a step further.

Jones, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress who resigned from his job as White House “green jobs” czar following the conservative host's repeated claims that he was a subversive and a Communist, is considering legal action against Beck-employer Fox News.

Jones’ attorney sent a cease and desist letter Monday to Dianne Brandi, the network’s executive vice president for legal & business affairs, claiming that “a series of sensational and inflammatory charges” have been made against Jones on Fox News shows. The statements, his attorney Joseph Sandler argues, are “demonstrably, unequivocally and absolutely false.”

- snip -

“They are actionable as a matter of law,” Sandler writes

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/20/van-jones-lawyer-sends-letters-to-fox-news_n_880907.html

[valerief]

1. Van Jones is someone who should be on CurrentTV. He's terrific. nt

[harmonicon]

5. TV? Who cares?

I really don't think television personalities can accomplish anything (apart from creating things like the "tea party", but no one I respect would do something like that). I would rather he just have an influential job in government.

[valerief]

21. That's a given. nt

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

14. He's fucking AMAZING! My former boss worked for him on environmental/energy issues,

and I just wish that I had the opportunity. He consults with the Center for American Progress and speaks there often. I have to catch up with him next time...with his GORGEOUS self!! :)

[Delphinus]

19. I watched

a tape of an address he gave to a Unitarian Universalist conclave one year - he blew me away and inspired me greatly!

[WhiteTara]

2. A stiffened spine. Yea!!!! n/t

[jmowreader]

3. Is "termination of Glenn Beck" a permissible remedy?

If so, that's what he should seek. The only way this man is ever going to stop is if he is stopped by someone else--just demanding money isn't going to do it. Terminating him publicly, and letting it be known that he was fired because he kept defaming people, should be enough to keep him off television.

[xfundy]

6. No, then he'll use it to claim how persecuted he is.

I believe in free speech, even bullshit like beck's.The only answer to hate speech is to allow it to continue, and, as he's proven, it will get worse and worse till everyone knows what a fool he is, and his followers will be ridiculed even more than they are now.

On the other hand, the whole bunch of christopublicans keep pushing the envelope, getting bolder and bolder in their hate, and seemingly gaining credibility. Of course, the idea that these dangerous ninnies are gaining popularity is central to the fox noise propaganda; repeating a lie often enough till it becomes the truth is a Fox Noise goal.

[juxtaposed]

9. I agree, They always step it up a notch. It's repug nature, if I'm posted on Media

Matters I'm doing good. They wear it like a badge of honor to be posted of MediaMatters.. With lawsuits? I always reflect back to Larry Flint vs Jerry Falwell.

[Downwinder]

10. Sometimes it helps to kick some butt.

[jmowreader]

17. He's going to claim he's persecuted no matter what

And if he wants to be persecuted--most of the highly-deranged Christians out there seem to--I'd say we give him what he wants.

I don't wanna kick off Godwin's Law, but allowing hate speech to go on unchecked is how dictators get started. There are a group of people who believe every fucking word the man says--you KNOW that after Glenn put the picture of Obama up and said "this is why you need to get guns," some of his listeners, the ones who didn't already have some guns, went out and got guns.

It's time to get this fucker off the air and Andrew Breitbart off the Internet. Freedom of speech is one thing; destroying careers with blatant lies like Beck and Breitbart are doing is NOT protected by the First Amendment, nor should it be.

[valerief]

22. Where's the Terminator when you need him? nt

[jmowreader]

4. dupe, sorry

[KT2000]

7. Good!

He should demand big money. His career is in politics and unfounded accusations of being a communist is certainly damaging to his career.
Good for him for standing up to the Ailes machine,

[MrMickeysMom]

8. Lots of unfounded accusations, yest...

...but, I have to ask, is the one about being a communist unfounded? I'm serious about this question.

If it is unfounded, I want to follow up with some public accusations made locally where I am, and I need a reference, if you don't mind.

Thanks.

[KT2000]

13. This article may help

from Huffpost:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/20/van-jones-lawyer-sends-letters-to-fox-news_n_880907.html

[Grassy Knoll]

11. Eight Days left for Glenn Beck......

:toast: :toast: :toast: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :nopity:

[Nossida]

12. When?

When did it become illegal to be a Communist?
Or a Socialist.

America is a 2 Party Dictatorship.
Get use to it.
Why does Beck hate Democracy so much?

[ChrisBorg]

15. The claim is Beck called him "a Communist. revolutionary and a Marxist."

Do they have anything to backup these allegations?

[DrinkBeerNotTea]

16. When Obama fired Jones, he empowered Beck 1000 times over

He created the Beck monster. He showed fear.

[wordpix]

25. I agree --O needs to show spine & not give in to these GOOPers

GOOP = Grand Old Oil Party :evilgrin:

[melm00se]

18. Very tough up hill fight

I assume that Van Jones is going to sue for libel/slander. As he will be deemed a public figure, the Supreme Court precedent set in New York Times v Sullivan will be the hurdle he has to pass to win.

the plaintiff would have to prove http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Times_Co._v._Sullivan#Actual_malice">Actual Malice which means that the speaker will have to acted with a reckless lack of investigation. If there is even 1 example that supports the allegations made by the defendants the suit will be DOA.

[Doctor_J]

20. Threatening legal action?

I wonder if they're :scared:.

I admire Jones' fire - he's one of the few outspoken liberal Dems left - but a blurb in AOLPost that he might be considering taking some action is rather tame.

[sarcasmo]

23. Right on.

[wordpix]

24. GOOD! The only thing these GOOP asshats might stop at is litigation

Excellent :applause:

[Rex]

26. WHAAT? Someone FINALLY shoving the shit back down

an elitist repuke's blowhole? EXCELLENT.