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2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: A defamation lawsuit may kill National Review [View all]Gothmog
(171,729 posts)21. The individual defendant fired his legal counsel and is defending this case pro se
The individual defendant who wrote the stupid attack has fired a very good law firm because that law firm would not approve of this idiot writing an article attacking the judge http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/01/30/climate-scientists-lawsuit-could-wipe-out-conservative-national-review-magazine/
Then, at Christmastime, Steyn abruptly fired the legal team representing him and the magazine, white shoe firm Steptoe and Johnson, after an argument over a highly inflammatory and appallingly typed NRO post about Judge Combs Greene. Steyn accused her of staggering incompetence, called her stupid, and accused her of deliberate obtuseness regarding the Mann suit.
Now, Steyn is representing himself against Mann and he and the Review have parted ways.
Steyn wrote to Mother Jones, saying that he was simply no longer able to contain his sense of disdain for the federal judge and her decision not to dismiss Manns suit.
Firing your counsel in the middle of case is not a good idea. The fact that Steyn is representing himself is bad news for the National Review. Steyn is out of control and is probably judgment proof, i.e., he has nothing to lose if Prof. Mann wins the lawsuit. Steyn's stupidity could well hurt the chances of the National Review in defending this lawsuit.
Finally, I love the fact that Rich Lowery is begging for donations. From the article cited above
As many of you know, National Review is not a non-profit we are just not profitable. A lawsuit is not something we can fund with money we dont have. Of course, well do whatever we have to do to find ourselves victorious in court and Professor Mann thoroughly defeated, as he so richly deserves to be. Meanwhile, we have to hire attorneys, which aint cheap.
The bills are already mounting.
This is our fight, legally. But with the global-warming extremists going all-out to silence critics, its your fight too, morally. When we were sued, we heard from many of you who expressed a desire to help underwrite our legal defense. We deeply appreciated the outpouring of promised help.
Now we really need it.
Lowery is desperate and he should be worried. Prof. Mann has a great case and should win this lawsuit
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Republicans never know when to fucking shut up. They imagine themselves badasses
TwilightGardener
Jan 2014
#2
Actually, they imagine that they own EVERYTHING including the courts....
Spitfire of ATJ
Jan 2014
#10
Defamation hard to prove but not impossible. Publicly accusing a research scientist of fraud
yellowcanine
Jan 2014
#5
Mann is refusing to settle. He wants this to go to court and be heard. I think he wants case law and
okaawhatever
Jan 2014
#22
They almost certainly have staffs who will carry on their troglodyte traditions
jmowreader
Feb 2014
#29
My dim recollection is that the Review has been on life support for a long time...
Orsino
Jan 2014
#14
Sounds like the Koch brothers are going to have to provide a bunch more money . . .
another_liberal
Jan 2014
#18
The individual defendant fired his legal counsel and is defending this case pro se
Gothmog
Jan 2014
#21