Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
Fri Apr 5, 2019, 01:01 PM Apr 2019

GOP Strategist Sued By Nunes Questions Whether He Understands Constitution

By Nicole Lafond
April 5, 2019 12:07 pm

The Republican communications strategist who Rep. Devin Nunes is suing — alongside Twitter, a cow and a mom parody account — penned an op-ed in USA Today on Friday, suggesting that Nunes not only doesn’t understand the Bill of Rights, but also his commitment to it as a literal lawmaker.


“It’s vitally important that the entire nation understands what this lawsuit is really about: A sitting member of the U.S. government, specifically, a congressman, is trying to stifle free speech — mine, yours and every other American’s — by using litigation as a cudgel to bully and intimidate,” Liz Mair wrote, speaking out at length for the first time since Nunes filed the suit last month. She questioned whether Nunes actually defends the Constitution he swore to defend.

“His action in filing this pleading draws into question not just his view of law applicable to this case, but also his belief in freedom of speech and his commitment and adherence to his own oath of office. Individually and collectively, all of these things should be extremely concerning to every American, no matter where they live, whom they vote for and where they fall on the philosophical spectrum,” she continued. “Rep. Nunes’ lawsuit also rightly generates skepticism that he truly understands the United States’ history of broadly and firmly protecting liberties, and the truth about why the Bill of Rights — including the First Amendment — was drawn up and remains the law of the land to this day.”

Nunes filed his lawsuit against Mair, Twitter and the two troll accounts in mid-March, seeking $250 million in damages for defaming him online and, as he claims, planning an orchestrated attack against him. The “defamatory” tweets include memes of Nunes, President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a “human centipede” style relationship, jokes about him growing up on a dairy farm and monikers like “dirty Devin.”

Read the full op-ed here.

###

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/gop-strategist-sued-nunes-questions-whether-lawmaker-understands-constitution

11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

SWBTATTReg

(22,131 posts)
2. I wonder why others such as DU (and I am not saying DU in particular, just as an example ...
Fri Apr 5, 2019, 01:10 PM
Apr 2019

here) and others such as the ACLU don't sue him in return, for attempting to suppress their first amendment rights and get damages? Just a thought...I would even consider contributing to such a cause, for I do believe in our first amendment rights, and that a person of nunes standing (as a senator no less) should know this. Perhaps he needs to be taught a lesson and sued to within an inch of his political career?

alwaysinasnit

(5,066 posts)
8. IMO, the best thing would be to counter-sue this motherf*cker for filing a frivolous lawsuit
Fri Apr 5, 2019, 03:29 PM
Apr 2019

and then when Liz Mair and the others win, sue him for wrongful use of civil proceedings (if it were in CA).

struggle4progress

(118,291 posts)
4. Free speech means I don't have to be nice to Devin Nunes on Twitter
Fri Apr 5, 2019, 01:22 PM
Apr 2019

Liz Mair, Opinion contributor
Published 3:15 a.m. ET April 5, 2019 | Updated 8:49 a.m. ET April 5, 2019

... Nunes seems upset about my scrutiny, discussion and highlighting of publicly available information pertaining to him, and my criticism of his conduct, record and behavior — as well as my generally not having acted like a Miss Congeniality award winner toward him. In other words, he is suing me for doing my job as a political communications strategist ...

James Madison, fourth president of the United States, father of the Constitution and co-author of the Federalist Papers, famously commented that “the censorial power is in the people over the government, and not in the government over the people.” Nunes’ lawsuit flips that notion entirely on its head ...

... Americans should scrutinize our public officials’ political committee expenditures — including those of leadership PACs — voting records, public statements, financial interests, behavior and conduct. It’s what the Framers wanted, it is what the First Amendment guarantees a right to do, and it is sound policy to boot. True freedom and good, constitutional government are impossible to maintain unless each of us is able to question, research and review what our public officials do, based on publicly available information and interactions with them and their staff, and then engage in unimpeded, public debate about what we find. They work for us, not the other way round ...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/04/05/devin-nunes-suing-me-free-speech-twitter-liz-mair-column/3346525002/

yaesu

(8,020 posts)
6. nunes is doing what his buddy tRump does all the time, sue at the drop of a hat
Fri Apr 5, 2019, 03:22 PM
Apr 2019

tRump can afford it, not sure numbnuts nunes can.

Mc Mike

(9,114 posts)
10. Isn't Nunes' hero tRump all about free speech? Isn't Rump's flack bircher Jones fighting in court
Fri Apr 5, 2019, 03:42 PM
Apr 2019

for free speech, right now?

It's almost like their side is full of hypocritical lying nazis.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»GOP Strategist Sued By Nu...