Joe Wilson is Ready to Take a Fox News Anaylst to Court

[sabra]

http://www.theonerepublic.com/archives/Columns/Kincaid/20051110KincaidLawsuit.html

Lawsuit Threatened Over Wilson Affair
More fun in the Plame Game…
11/10/05

Did Joseph Wilson expose his own wife as a CIA employee months before columnist Robert Novak published that information? Fox News military analyst and retired Major General Paul E. Vallely is being threatened with a lawsuit for saying that the answer is yes, and that he was there when Wilson confirmed her CIA status.

What’s more, Vallely tells Accuracy in Media that he is prepared if necessary to go to court to prove it.

He may have to. Wilson’s attorney, Christopher Wolf, categorically rejects Vallely’s claim. He tells AIM, “It never happened I can assure you that. Vallely is making it up for whatever reason. It’s false. It’s libelous. It shouldn’t be said. And that should be the end of it.” Wolf, a partner at Proskauer Rose, is a specialist in the areas of the First Amendment, defamation and libel.

In an interview, Vallely said that Wilson told him this in 2002 when they were both in a Fox News Channel “green room,” where guests wait before going on network programs. As to why he waited until now to come forward with this explosive charge, he indicated that it was because of disappointment with Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald’s investigation of the matter.

Wow, how low can they go?

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. This is the way that Kerry should have reacted to the other bastards.

[SammyWinstonJack]

6. Yes and Kerry knew it had to be coming since the swift boat liars did it

to him when he ran for the Senate the first time around! Kerry had to know the swift boat liars would be gunning for him again. I don't understand why his campaign didn't have a first attack waiting in the wings for it?

[GrpCaptMandrake]

8. One problem is that

a lot of public figures have been cowed into believing that b/c they're "public figures," anyone can say anything at all about them.

Most of this comes from a misguided reading of NYT v. Sullivan, which established the "actual malice" standard for public figures, making most of them believe that suing for rotten things said is nigh impossible.

[spooky3]

26. Isn't it extremely difficult to prove "actual malice"?

Although Wilson has a good case on this one!

[Mabus]

48. about the actual malice standard

Mind you, it has been almost ten years since I actually read the Sullivan case, but here is what I remember in regards to "actual malice".

Actual malice in the context of Sullivan means that a statement was published with the knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not. In otherwords a plaintiff must demonstrate that the defendant-publisher had such significant indicia of the statement's possible falsity such that he was reckless in disregarding them by publishing the falsehood.

With this in mind, there is credible information emerging that no conversation between Wilson and Vallely ever took place therefore Vallely has what would qualify as significant indicia that the statements he is making are false.

[spooky3]

49. thank you! Although--see my mediamatters.org post below...

According to the article at mediamatters.org, Wilson does think he may have met this guy in the green room, so I suppose it's possible the guy could still claim he thinks that was what was said. It would be easier to infer malice if they had NEVER met.

[Mabus]

54. The green rooms,

or at least the ones I've accompanied friends to, can be pretty busy places. The television (or radio) is on so that those in the green room can keep up with what's going on with the show in progress; crew will come in and out to check make-up, hair or clothing; the crew will pull people out to do voice checks so they can set-up the levels before the guest gets hooked up with the studio microphone or they help fit a microphone on the guest (tell them about the earpiece, make sure it doesn't mess with the hair, etc.); guests usually bring someone else; sometimes people from the crew come in and talk to the guests (pre-interview) for last minute notes for the show hosts; earlier guests will be in the green room waiting for a ride or for someone to get off work while later guests arrive early; more often than not the prospective guest is going over their own notes or m/taking those last minute phone calls; and then there's always someone who pops in wanting to know if everything is okay ("do you want a beverage" or "would you like something to munch on"). :shrug:

I'm not saying that they were never alone and talked, I'm just wondering, who else may have been present or in/out of the green room at the time of the alleged conversations.

[mainer]

43. I've heard this backed up by an attorney

He said that once you are established as a 'public figure", winning a libel suit is almost impossible, even if what's said about you is absolutely false. Apparently, public figures are considered fair game.

[No Exit]

45. But some public figures HAVE won defamation lawsuits, post-Sullivan.

Carol Burnett comes to mind.

Joe Wilson would undoubtedly fit the NYT v. Sullivan description of a "public figure". But WHEN have you or I seen VALERIE WILSON grabbing the limelight? Never, that's when. SHE might well NOT be legally regarded as a "public figure". And Vallely's words defame her, also.

[BJW]

60. It's also a question of damages

The slander has to have caused actual damage. Burden is on the plaintiff.

[MilesColtrane]

75. Wouldn't Vallely's statement be the same as

saying he witnessed Wilson in the commision of a crime? (disclosure of classified information)
How is that different than my appearing on TV and saying I saw Rupert Murdoch doing a line of blow off of a naked hooker?
Seems like actual malice.

[mattclearing]

42. I said that too.

The second the election was over, he should have sued for libel.

We need to teach these fuckers that there will be consequences for trying to falsely slime people.

[autorank]

2. RECOMMENDED!!!

:patriot:

[LSK]

3. Wilson should take all those MOFOs to court

Starting with Ken Mehlmen. Bankrupt the RNC with lawsuits all next year.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

5. YES! That's how to do it!! Great idea!

[Talismom]

76. Yes indeed! I'd like to see the RNC in the same predicament as

the Klan--their resemblance these days gives the idea a kind of poetic justice!

[mestup]

4. "Fox News Analyst" - the whole phrase is an oxymorAn

All their "analysts" are RW hacks.

[Vanje]

46. not so

A clarinetist is someone who blows a clarinet. a flautist is someone who blows a flute.
An analyst is someone who blows it out his anus.

[Virginian]

51. Biggest laugh I've had in a long time.

I love your definition.

[sdfernando]

73. Flutist is the proper term.

Not to be picky but....being a flute player the term is "flutist", there is no such thing as a flaut in the english language. As I like to say when called a flautist: I'm a flutist not a flautist. You see, a flautist is just a flute player who can't find work.

[MurrayDelph]

56. Maybe they meant to say

Fox News Anal-Cyst?

[rosesaylavee]

63. No that's Rush Limbaugh and he's on the RAY -DEEO

:)

[oregonindy]

7. Yep they only understand power and threats backed up with force!

sue the bastards and attack attack attack all the time! Full court press. no pun intended. :P

[annabanana]

15. good pun, though

Intended or otherwise!

[NoQuarter]

9. According to this little item

from Crooks and Liars, Vallely and Wilson were never on Faux programs on the same day, hence they would not be waiting in the green room together.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/11/08.html#a5767

These guys are behaving like 10-year-olds.

[H2O Man]

19. Alan Colmes pointed this out.

Vallely's body language was interesting to watch when he appeared two nights ago on Hannity & Colmes. He is willing to serve his masters by trying to distract the focus of the investigation. His statements concerning who was, or was not, interviewed by Fitzgerald indicates that someone who is very concerned about the next step forward has sent this dog to do their bidding. He is lying, he knows he is lying, and he is not very convincing in his lie.

[Canuckistanian]

82. I like Digby's response to this...

I suspect they might get a visit from the FBI about this because the last I heard, there was still an ongoing investigation into the matter of how reporters found out about Plame's employment. Patrick Fitzgerald might just be interested to know why these fellows haven't come forward before. After all, the story sounds a little bit wierd considering the fact that Joe never let it slip to his own friends and neighbors that Valerie was CIA, yet he supposedly blabbed to a couple of total strangers in the greenroom of a news network.

See, Fitz will wonder if after they heard this juicy little nugget about about a CIA spy married to an ex-Ambassador that they, in turn, told a FOX news reporter who might have then slipped it to Karl or Scooter sometime later. After all, both of those guys have very faulty memories and have said that they don't remember exactly where they heard about Plame.

I think somebody needs to get on the horn and let Pat Fitzgerald know that there are a couple of witnesses going around on right wing talk radio who could blow his case wide open. He needs to get the FBI out to talk to them right away.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2005_11_06_digbysblog_archive.html#113147542831962924

[Catrina]

10. Three years ago, and now, when the regime

is in its last throes, he 'remembers' this? Apparently another guest in the green room (not sure if it was at the same time) was reported to have said the same thing, but has denied it completely. They are even willing to put words in the mouths of other people. The depths to which these liars will sink is now known to the general population.

However, I believe Joe Wilson should drag them into court and take every dime they have away from them. The lying Swifties were backed by rightwing funders. I too wanted badly for Kerry to sue them ~ the lies they told were so easy to debunk, so I don't know why he didn't.

Let it cost them when they attempt to smear decent people ~ I wonder if it's possible for citizens to form an organization that can watch for lies and take the liars to court on behalf of the country.

I am so sick of the lying atmosphere we have lived in since this administration took office ~ deadly lies, as we now know. The Swift Boat liars would have had no effect had the MSM not given them a platform ~ god, our media is a disgrace ~

Go for it, Joe ~ Fitzgerald verified that Valerie Wilson's covert status was not known to anyone, neighbors, friend or even family, until this cabal conspired to out her. So, it should be an easy case. They really are getting desperate ~ but they should have learned by now, that Joe Wilson is no patsy ~ unlike others they have lied about.

This is someone who has the courage to stand up to them. Without that courage, we would never have had justice for the lies told to this country about WMD and a useless and disastrous war that has killed so many innocent people.

[ProfessorGAC]

24. And, Why Didn't He Call Fitz

If he had information that would have cleared people he supports, wouldn't the prudent thing to do be call the investigator and let them know?

But, of course, since he's making this up, he couldn't go to Fitz, because he would have had to attest under oath. Then the lie would have been exposed, and Valelly would have perjured himself.

Convenient, no?
The Professor

[TacticalPeek]

11. Google google news for "General Paul Vallely" to see a smear born.

Hume misquoted Mitchell in defense of Fox contributor under fire for Plame claim

n the November 8 edition of Fox News' Special Report, Washington managing editor Brit Hume misquoted NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell, attributing to her the claim that CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity was an "open secret." Hume's misrepresentation of Mitchell's comments in an October 2003 interview on CNBC served to corroborate a claim made by Fox News contributor ret. Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely. In fact, Mitchell's full quote, which Hume did not read, makes it clear that she was referring to reporters actively looking into a February 2002 trip to Niger by Plame's husband, former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, and not, as Hume suggested, all reporters covering the intelligence community.

Vallely recently claimed in a series of inconsistent statements that Wilson told him in 2002, when both appeared on the Fox News Channel -- long before syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak outed Plame in his July 14, 2003, column -- that Wilson's wife worked at the CIA. The right-wing news website WorldNetDaily.com and ABC Radio Networks host John Batchelor reported evolving variations of this claim, and Vallely offered his own version on the November 7 edition of The Sean Hannity Show. After WorldNetDaily posted a story on Vallely's claims on November 5, Wilson's attorney, Christopher Wolf, contacted Vallely and WorldNetDaily, stating that Vallely's claims were untrue and demanding a retraction.

more
http://mediamatters.org/items/200511090013

[Strawman]

38. He sounds like some plant

who probably knows how to beat a lie detector test.

[upi402]

12. Him for president, Conyers-Wilson.

Richard Clark in the cabinet.
Hell, the whole Congressional Black Caucuss in the cabinet.

[mdelaguna2000]

13. andalez pues!

The entire CBC in the cabinet. Like it.

[BamaBecky]

14. They will settle out of court, Mega Bucks, fundies will go on

believing the crap, silence clause will end further discussion...
Bama

[annabanana]

16. It would be an excellent high ground coup

If the plaintiff isn't really hurting, to refuse to settle.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

35. Wilson doesn't have to accept a settlement

I don't think he'd have trouble raising money to sue Fox.

Broke as I am, I'd send him $20.

Anybody else with me?

[Talismom]

77. Absolutely! My $20 is ready and waiting! n/t

[ObaMania]

17. What if everyone slammed by FAUX took 'em to court?

Would they get the message?

Even if it doesn't yield anything, it would at least be a pain in the ass for that waste of a cable channel.

[dennisnyc]

57. MoveOn would definitely have a case! n/t

[rosesaylavee]

64. Might convince Murdock to sell the whole

damn thing if his empire had a barrage of lawsuits.

[bklyncowgirl]

18. Good. Haul his ass into court.

I hope Wilson does this.

Joe Wilson is a guy who faced down Saddam Hussein. He knows thugs and liars very well.

[in_cog_ni_to]

20. Go Joe Go! Drag his ass to court!

Faux News needs to be put in their place, AGAIN. Their propaganda has become BLATANT and DANGEROUS to this country. Think Pravda.

[Me.]

21. How Stupid Are These People?

No answer required.

Vallely is a neo with connections to Woolsey and you know where that leads...right back to the top of the PNAC food chain. I hope Wilson takes this schoolyard bully to court and cleans him out

[rateyes]

22. General Paul E. Va-LIE-ly....

the Faux Analcyst, along with Sean Inshannity should have to pay dearly for this....get em Joe.

[progressoid]

23. Don't just threaten, DO IT! Shut these liars down.

[spooky3]

25. Vallely's story doesn't pass the Judge Judy test.

"Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining."

Why would any spouse of an operative, who kept her identity secret from friends and neighbors with whom they interacted all the time, reveal this same secret to someone he had just met in a green room?

Had this event occurred, a good citizen would immediately have contacted the CIA to report the problem. Since Vallely wasn't a good enough citizen to do that, why should we trust his report now?

[sabra]

27. according to the 4th paragraph it's because he was disappointed

in Fitz's investigation....

[spooky3]

29. what I am saying is: that is not a credible explanation

for his failure to report it at the time. Therefore, that and the other inconsistencies I pointed out in my two other posts, the events very likely did not occur.

Watch Judge Judy to see her apply the technique!

[ProfessorGAC]

31. Then Why Didn't He Call Fitz, To Clear Those Under Investigation?

Know what i mean? The story doesn't pass the smell test, because if had information that would have obviated the need for a prosecution, he would have called Fitzgerald and said, "i've got something you need to know." If he supports this crowd, wouldn't he want to help clear them, instead of complaining about the investigation?

Methinks, yes.
The Professor

[spooky3]

32. exactly

[sabra]

34. exactly. he isn't even trying to hide his motivations...

[ProfessorGAC]

37. And Yet, Faux Hires Him As An "Analyst"

These folks think they're so much more clever than they are. Look at Faux's rating. Nobody actually watches it, excepting a few lunatic rightists.
The Professor

[dansolo]

89. He is inviting Fitz to subpoena him

I wonder if he is willing to tell the same lies under oath. I'd love to see him rot in jail for a perjury conviction. He can keep Scooter company.

[spooky3]

28. more parts of the story that make no sense

and as Judge Judy says, if it makes no common sense, it usually isn't true.

Vallely claims that another person (Hanson) said that Wilson did the same thing when Hanson and Wilson were green room guests on another occasion, which Hanson denies. So we have to believe that Wilson would tell TWO strangers a secret he did not reveal to friends and neighbors. Then Vallely claims:

"I asked Victor Davis Hanson Why he didn’t write up this account.(?) He replied that Joe Wilson would probably simply deny it, since only he (VDH) & Joe Wilson were in the Green Room together before the broadcast.”

If Hanson had told an authority at that time that Wilson said his wife was a CIA agent, he would have been believed, because how else would Hanson have known that she was? At that time (prior to the Novak column) it was a secret.

[bunkerbuster1]

44. BTW, note that Valley doesn't even claim Wilson said "CIA."

His story is, "Wilson then commented that his wife worked at the agency."

The agency. Which may or may not even be what Wilson even said, but that could mean any number of things.

What a dumbass. more to the point, what a bunch of dumbasses are buying this ridiculous story.

[sendero]

30. At some point in time..

.... somebody has to take on these blatant lies. And the court of law is really the only place it can be done.

I hope Wilson sues this mofo. Until some of these lying liars get hit hard in the pocketbook, this shit is never going to stop.

We either have to go after the lies legally, or start telling lies of our own. The former seems like a more "Democratic" plan :)

[Norquist Nemesis]

33. Is Vallely a Charter Swiftie?

He seems to fit the pre-reqs with his actions.

[blm]

36. woohooo.....I hope there's a legal fund we can contribute to.

I'm in full attack mode against the lying scumbag media.

[spooky3]

39. Excellent story on mediamatters.org

There are even more contradictions.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200511090011

[Gregorian]

40. Could they have falsified evidence?

My first thought was this is tied in to the White House. They could have falisified closed circuit tv records.

My first thought upon reading such bold statements by Vallely is they have something "authentic" to smear Wilson. From what we know, Wilson is a very careful person. In fact, even his neighbors didn't know his wife was a covert agent. So if he's so flaggrant, why didn't he tell those whom he sees the most?

It'll backfire.

[starroute]

41. This is orchestrated

Vallely and Hanson are both clients of Benador Associates, the Neocons' favorite PR firm:
http://www.benadorassociates.com/members.php

So are Michael Ledeen, Laurie Mylroie, Richard Perle, Richard Pipes, James Woolsey, and Meyrav Wurmser.

The firm was founded in October 2001 and played a central role in drumming up the Iraq War -- note the many Middle Eastern names in the clients list.

Judith Miller is a former client -- there's a screenshot of her client page there that someone grabbed off the Google cache in 2003 at http://www.leftout.info/jun-1-04/miller-benador.html

Could it get any cozier?

[Wind Dancer]

47. Yes, they are all quite cozy together!

Hopefully, justice will prevail and we'll witness the dominoe effect on this cabal.

[Talismom]

78. I'm just salivating at the very thought! How ya doing FrustratedDem? n/t

[the phantom shouting]

55. The Smears are Gaining Steam...

I was watching the Situation with Tucker last night and a supposed CIA official came on who derided Fitzgerald's investigation as hogwash, saying that the notion that Valerie Wilson was in danger after being outed as an agent was ridiculous, that it was well known how lax the CIA are with the identity of their agents. What's this? thought I. I haven't heard this line of reasoning before. So, this morning, I punched this joker's name into google and up came: Reuel Marc Gerecht, the Director of the Middle East Initiative at the Project for the New American Century

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/ind/gerecht/gerecht.php

Why am I not surprised that Tucker eagerly supported Mr. Gerecht's statements as facts without any question. He closed the segment by saying: "I wish we'd had you on earlier."

I am really enjoying the fall of the Bush administration. I mean, really, really enjoying it. It's almost criminal, this enjoyment of mine...

[AmBlue]

50. Go, Joe Baby

GO!!! This man has got it goin' on....

I'm tellin' ya: WILSON FOR PREZ '08!!!

[Roland99]

52. "disappointment with Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald"???

:wtf:


DISAPPOINTED???


WTF does Vallely want? Fitz to get on his knees and kiss the PNAC neocon's asses???

[gardenista]

53. Good. Fox doesn't have a great track record in court. He'll probably win

[dennisnyc]

58. Fox does have a track record in court remember the Al Franken libel case?

Fox lawyers were laughed out of court!

[gardenista]

66. That's what I mean! nt

[Quixote1818]

59. Wilson is such a bad ass! You have to love him! nt

[lonestarnot]

61. Go Joe!

[yourout]

62. Sue his ass....

Make the bastard put his hand on the bible and lets see what he has to say then. Maybe he will have a failure of recollection.

[AuntiBush]

65. Make them Prove it, is right!

Sue them, Mr. Joe Wilson. Get them in Civil court where they'll have to answer questions.

How low can they go? Just look at the crap they dole out daily from that hill "we the American people" are "suppose" to own!

[Miss Chybil]

67. Whuteeeevvvverrrr. nt

[Marie26]

68. Gen. Vallely involved in PR effort for Iraq war.

General Paul Vallely is not a neutral source here. He's a member of "Benador Associates." This is a public-relations firm that is exclusively neocons - the firm was created to organize a PR effort to sell the war in Iraq. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benador_Associates.
http://www.benadorassociates.com/vallely.php.

And Benador's website also has a "press release" by Gen Vallely with an update on the situation in Fallujah. It turns out things are going well there after all! :eyes: http://www.benadorassociates.com/article/11343. In May 2003, he went on Fox News and stated that "agents" had told him that Iraqi mobile weapons labs were being buried in Syria. Right... http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig/steinreich8.html

So we know he's shilling the Bush Administration line; and know he was involved in the propaganda effort for the Iraq war. (just like, oh...Rove & Libby.) I wouldn't trust anything this man says.

[okieinpain]

69. and of course when he gets question about what happen. he

will say that wilson whispered it in his ear, and no one else heard it, but it did happen.

[Joey Liberal]

70. Vallely is a jerk

I hope Wilson sues that sorry bastard.

[wavesofeuphoria]

71. So exactly how much can be brought out in a libel suit?

Also, if Joe Wilson and Valerie Wilson take those involved in the "leaking" to civil court, how much or what can be brought out? Just curious and not legal sauve here ....

[mod mom]

72. Go Joe, teach those lying bastards a lesson where it hurts them: $.

[Stargleamer]

74. Let the Swift Boating Begin!! n/t

[oc2002]

79. I hope he sues FOX for 10 MILLION DOLLARS!

hehe.

[McCamy Taylor]

80. The conspiracy widens

[Canuckistanian]

81. Good! Fight him hard, Joe!

Make an example of him.

It's not often these liars are ever called on their falsehoods.

I'd LOVE to see Hannity drawn into this, too!

[neuvocat]

83. Fox News can't keep doing this.

They have an agenda to promote and their cheif means of doing so is by discrediting their critics by any means necessary.

[Selteri]

84. I'm hoping Fox does the limbo until it's 6 feet under. N/T

[VP505]

85. Doesn't Make Sense

As Judge Judy would say, if it doesn't make sense, it's probably not true. Doesn't even make sense for that to be mentioned in a casual conversation in an unsecured environment.

[FighttheFuture]

86. Interference with Fitz's investigation? Fitz, depose the Vallely!!

In Faux trying to float this turd, it really looks like interference in a critical investigation! It looks like another angle of trying to show Plame wasn't classified. If proven not only false, but a malicious campaign to discredit Wilson and take the wind out of the Investigation, it would seem even another conspiracy is afoot!!

[johnnybaseball]

87. This is off topic ...

.... but I LOVE that image of Reid! I love the way the ceiling creates a halo effect. It's very powerful.

[siztnarf]

88. Fox News sinking credibility

As neuvocat said, "Fox News can't keep doing this". If they continue this way at some point they will become a joke even in the relatively uninformed or unengaged America. What they are trying to do is to help the administration again weave an alternate reality focusing on personalities, phony details, and (their)lies. They also want to create the perception that this is a bitterly partison conspiracy to get the commander-in-chief. They shore up Bush's approval rating from dropping any further by appealing to the flag suckers and they might even get it going back the other way by giving the half-witts an unplausible story line to believe in.
But it's not going to work. The longer they continue this course the more America will see Fox for what it really is. Their veiwership will drop and they will be forced to try to rebuild their credibility.