"Mean Jean" Schmidt Accuses Dem Foe Of ... "Grotesque Medical Experiments" On Human Guinea Pigs

[RedEarth]

House GOPer Accuses Dem Foe Of ... "Grotesque Medical Experiments" On Human Guinea Pigs
By Eric Kleefeld - June 11, 2008, 5:38PM





Remember "Mean Jean" Schmidt, the Ohio Republican who famously called retired Marine Jack Murtha a coward for advocating withdrawal from Iraq?

Now she's lived up to her "Mean Jean" nickname name again, with a new snarling line of attack: Accusing her Democratic opponent, a medical doctor, of doing "grotesque medical experiments" on innocent people.

A source sends us a fundraising letter that Schmidt sent out in her district against Dem nominee Victoria Wulsin, who narrowly lost two years ago and is now mounting a second tough challenge being closely watched by national Dems. From the letter:

Wulsin's contempt for the culture of life has even led her to participate in grotesque medical experiments. Wulsin was paid for her work in medical "studies" where victims of AIDS in Africa and China were, without their consent, injected with the malaria virus, all in the name of "scientific inquiry."

Wow. This is, to put it mildly, a very serious accusation. And according to the Wulsin camp, it's also false -- Wulsin has never participated in this sort of human vivisection, and in no case was anyone injected with anything without consent.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/06/rep_jean_schmidt_the_ohio.php

[Warpy]

1. I hope she loses her ass

because this is a clear case of professional libel, above and beyond the protection given to political speech.

It's one thing to call your opponent a pro abortionist. It's quite another to try to destroy her professional reputation in the process.

This is serious. I hope it's taken seriously.

[Richard Steele]

8. I agree completely. This is WAAAY beyond the pale, and legally actionable.

As an added bonus, I'll bet her behavior during trial
would make for a nice newspaper story or two.
Call it a hunch.

[Alameda]

2. Can't she be sued for

making libel or slander? How can she be allowed to get away with outright lies like this?

[Dark]

10. It depends. She's a public figure, so it'd be very hard to win a libel case.

She'd have to prove that Schmidt's team had "reckless disregard for the truth" or purposefully lied.

In legal terms, they're very hard to prove.

And it couldn't be slander.

[Alameda]

15. ...so does that mean that one can say anything

about a "public" figure and get away with it? I believe if you post something in an unequivocal manner it has to be true.

[Dark]

19. It's a pretty hard barrier to overcome.

I'm a journalist, so I have a familiarity with libel law.

And a "public figure" plantiff has to fight a pretty strong defendant.

Basically, to win a libel suit, you have to prove 5 things, only one of which is "that the claim is false."

[Octafish]

3. Gee. It was the GOP-dominated CIA that experimented illegally on Americans.

Ford ordered Cheney and Rumsfeld to cover it up.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1224071

[virgdem]

4. Just when you think she couldn't sink any lower...

this POS is beyond despicable. I hope that Wulsin beats the ever loving crap out of this woman (politically speaking, of course) and we never hear from her again.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Perhaps we misheard what Ms. Schmidt said

She was complaining the Dr. Wulsin was conducting gross experiments on guinea pigs; not human guinea pigs, but actual guinea pigs.

She wouldn't care about human guinea pigs. However, she has a genuine affinity to rodents.

[weezy2736]

6. There isn't a reason in hell for her to keep that seat.

God, I hate living in Ohio.

[Igel]

7. "Malaria virus"?

It's a parasite.

[Canuckistanian]

9. I hope Schmidt gets her ass sued off

This is WELL BEYOND the normal political jabs. She's into legal slander territory here on Wulsin's FORMER professional life.

[AlCzervik]

11. She's a blight on humanity, how the fuck did this thing keep that seat?

[MercutioATC]

13. It's the West Pennsyltucky/Southern Ohio voter...

I'm telling you, they're really strange...

[AlCzervik]

14. my rep really isn't any better than her, he just cleans up good so he looks presentable.

but he's 100% asshole on the inside.

[JackBeck]

12. She's detestable on so many levels.

People living with HIV or AIDS diagnosis are not "victims".

:eyes:

[saltpoint]

16. Mean Jean's deep affiliations with Right-to-Life groups in SW Ohio and

elsewhere make her total poison to progressives. in Dr. Wulsin, Mean Jean has a formidable foe, and it could well be a very Democratic year in Ohio and elsewhere.

That corner of Ohio could use some work in November. John Boehner, Steve Chabot, and Mean jean -- all clustered down there -- and all need to be uprooted and sent home.

I like Dr. Wulsin's chances this time, and evidently the Schmidt campaign is shakin' in their boots or they wouldn't be lying like this about Dr. Wulsin's excellent character.

You go, Dr. Wulsin.

[niceypoo]

17. Where have I seen that face before???

Hmmmmm....

[orleans]

18. and what have these repukes been allowing to happen to the p.o.w.s?

something about cutting their genitals i believe

[gatorboy]

20. I believe she's upset because she is one of his failed experiments.

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Igor, would you mind telling me whose brain I did put in?
Igor: And you won't be angry?
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: I will NOT be angry.
Igor: Abby someone.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Abby someone. Abby who?
Igor: Abby Normal.

[saltpoint]

21. On a fashion note, why exactly is Mean Jean Schmidt the only male or female

person in Congress who wear Star Wars clothing?

At one level I really don't care what anyone wears anyplace, but in the context of public appearances, her choice of formal fashion strikes me as a bit odd.

[Eurobabe]

22. Get the hook, and yank that

woman off the floor. I sure hope OH-2 gets rid of Schmidthead in November!!

[Bigmack]

23. Would someone please get that poor woman....

off the public stage and get her some help?

Only barbarians would let the deranged embarrass themselves for the humor they provide.

[saltpoint]

25. Agree -- although I don't have the creds to analyze Schmidt, from a

distant lay perspective she does seem unstable and not quite all there.

[ColbertWatcher]

24. This woman is frightfully sad.