Spicer Threatens the Free Press

[Pogo]

Note the forum: "US Constitution" -- not Current Events or Politics. This is not (particularly) a story about Sean Spicer. It is a story about the First Amendment and whether it can be curtailed at will.

Spicer Threatens Legal Action over AP Report

>> Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer is threatening to take legal action against The Associated Press over a report from the wire service about an incident on his book tour.

Spicer’s attorney Michael Bowe said in a statement Saturday night that the AP “recklessly republished a categorically false accusation about Sean Spicer.”

“The claim is a lie. Absent an immediate retraction, Mr. Spicer will take legal action Monday,” Bowe said.

The AP report, published Saturday, documented an incident at Spicer’s book signing in Middletown, R.I., on Friday during which a black man claiming to be a former classmate of Spicer’s at Portsmouth Abbey School accused Spicer of using a racial slur.

... Video of the encounter published by NewportRI.com shows the man, identified as Alex Lombard, approaching Spicer at event.

"Sean, I was a day student at [Portsmouth] Abbey, too, with you,” Lombard said.

“Hey," Spicer replies. "Yes, how are you?”

You don’t remember that you tried to fight me?" Lombard said. "But you called me a [n-word] first."

The video then shows security escorting Lombard out of the event.

"I was 14 then. I was a scared kid then, Sean. I’m not scared to fight you now," Lombard can be heard yelling. <<
​

The AP report in question is in the link worded "AP Report". The actual video of the incident taking place, in full, is at the link worded "NewportRI.com".

Obviously the event happened. You can't deny what's clearly visible and audible on video --- yet here's Spicer's attorney threatening just that.

In his campaigning in 2016 Spicer's ex-boss Rump infamously declared he would "open up" libel laws to intimidate journalism and control the flow of information.

​

Perhaps Spicer wishes that could have been a real thing*.


(* "Congress shall make no Law respecting an establishment of Religion, or prohibiting the free Exercise thereof; or abridging the Freedom of Speech, or of the Press; or the Right of the People peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of Grievances".)

Long live the First Amendment.

 

[depotoo]

How is anything obvious from that video other than someone yelling such?

 

[Pogo]

How is anything obvious from that video other than someone yelling such?

That's it. That's the entire story. Nothing more need be said.

To be generous, it could be that Sean Spicer has somehow retained an attorney who can't read.
Not sure how you can pass a bar exam that way, but that's about all I can think of.

 

[frigidweirdo]

Note the forum: "US Constitution" -- not Current Events or Politics. This is not (particularly) a story about Sean Spicer. It is a story about the First Amendment and whether it can be curtailed at will.

Spicer Threatens Legal Action over AP Report

>> Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer is threatening to take legal action against The Associated Press over a report from the wire service about an incident on his book tour.

Spicer’s attorney Michael Bowe said in a statement Saturday night that the AP “recklessly republished a categorically false accusation about Sean Spicer.”

“The claim is a lie. Absent an immediate retraction, Mr. Spicer will take legal action Monday,” Bowe said.

The AP report, published Saturday, documented an incident at Spicer’s book signing in Middletown, R.I., on Friday during which a black man claiming to be a former classmate of Spicer’s at Portsmouth Abbey School accused Spicer of using a racial slur.

... Video of the encounter published by NewportRI.com shows the man, identified as Alex Lombard, approaching Spicer at event.

"Sean, I was a day student at [Portsmouth] Abbey, too, with you,” Lombard said.

“Hey," Spicer replies. "Yes, how are you?”

You don’t remember that you tried to fight me?" Lombard said. "But you called me a [n-word] first."

The video then shows security escorting Lombard out of the event.

"I was 14 then. I was a scared kid then, Sean. I’m not scared to fight you now," Lombard can be heard yelling. <<
​

The AP report in question is in the link worded "AP Report". The actual video of the incident taking place, in full, is at the link worded "NewportRI.com".

Obviously the event happened. You can't deny what's clearly visible and audible on video --- yet here's Spicer's attorney threatening just that.

In his campaigning in 2016 Spicer's ex-boss Rump infamously declared he would "open up" libel laws to intimidate journalism and control the flow of information.

​

Perhaps Spicer wishes that could have been a real thing*.


(* "Congress shall make no Law respecting an establishment of Religion, or prohibiting the free Exercise thereof; or abridging the Freedom of Speech, or of the Press; or the Right of the People peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of Grievances".)

Long live the First Amendment.

Well, libel is not protected by the First Amendment.

 

[Pogo]

Note the forum: "US Constitution" -- not Current Events or Politics. This is not (particularly) a story about Sean Spicer. It is a story about the First Amendment and whether it can be curtailed at will.

Spicer Threatens Legal Action over AP Report

>> Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer is threatening to take legal action against The Associated Press over a report from the wire service about an incident on his book tour.

Spicer’s attorney Michael Bowe said in a statement Saturday night that the AP “recklessly republished a categorically false accusation about Sean Spicer.”

“The claim is a lie. Absent an immediate retraction, Mr. Spicer will take legal action Monday,” Bowe said.

The AP report, published Saturday, documented an incident at Spicer’s book signing in Middletown, R.I., on Friday during which a black man claiming to be a former classmate of Spicer’s at Portsmouth Abbey School accused Spicer of using a racial slur.

... Video of the encounter published by NewportRI.com shows the man, identified as Alex Lombard, approaching Spicer at event.

"Sean, I was a day student at [Portsmouth] Abbey, too, with you,” Lombard said.

“Hey," Spicer replies. "Yes, how are you?”

You don’t remember that you tried to fight me?" Lombard said. "But you called me a [n-word] first."

The video then shows security escorting Lombard out of the event.

"I was 14 then. I was a scared kid then, Sean. I’m not scared to fight you now," Lombard can be heard yelling. <<
​

The AP report in question is in the link worded "AP Report". The actual video of the incident taking place, in full, is at the link worded "NewportRI.com".

Obviously the event happened. You can't deny what's clearly visible and audible on video --- yet here's Spicer's attorney threatening just that.

In his campaigning in 2016 Spicer's ex-boss Rump infamously declared he would "open up" libel laws to intimidate journalism and control the flow of information.

​

Perhaps Spicer wishes that could have been a real thing*.


(* "Congress shall make no Law respecting an establishment of Religion, or prohibiting the free Exercise thereof; or abridging the Freedom of Speech, or of the Press; or the Right of the People peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of Grievances".)

Long live the First Amendment.

Well, libel is not protected by the First Amendment.

Libel isn't. But censoring the free press is.

When Rump uses the word "libel", what he's actually talking about is his own butthurt snowflakery.

 

[frigidweirdo]

Note the forum: "US Constitution" -- not Current Events or Politics. This is not (particularly) a story about Sean Spicer. It is a story about the First Amendment and whether it can be curtailed at will.

Spicer Threatens Legal Action over AP Report

>> Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer is threatening to take legal action against The Associated Press over a report from the wire service about an incident on his book tour.

Spicer’s attorney Michael Bowe said in a statement Saturday night that the AP “recklessly republished a categorically false accusation about Sean Spicer.”

“The claim is a lie. Absent an immediate retraction, Mr. Spicer will take legal action Monday,” Bowe said.

The AP report, published Saturday, documented an incident at Spicer’s book signing in Middletown, R.I., on Friday during which a black man claiming to be a former classmate of Spicer’s at Portsmouth Abbey School accused Spicer of using a racial slur.

... Video of the encounter published by NewportRI.com shows the man, identified as Alex Lombard, approaching Spicer at event.

"Sean, I was a day student at [Portsmouth] Abbey, too, with you,” Lombard said.

“Hey," Spicer replies. "Yes, how are you?”

You don’t remember that you tried to fight me?" Lombard said. "But you called me a [n-word] first."

The video then shows security escorting Lombard out of the event.

"I was 14 then. I was a scared kid then, Sean. I’m not scared to fight you now," Lombard can be heard yelling. <<
​

The AP report in question is in the link worded "AP Report". The actual video of the incident taking place, in full, is at the link worded "NewportRI.com".

Obviously the event happened. You can't deny what's clearly visible and audible on video --- yet here's Spicer's attorney threatening just that.

In his campaigning in 2016 Spicer's ex-boss Rump infamously declared he would "open up" libel laws to intimidate journalism and control the flow of information.

​

Perhaps Spicer wishes that could have been a real thing*.


(* "Congress shall make no Law respecting an establishment of Religion, or prohibiting the free Exercise thereof; or abridging the Freedom of Speech, or of the Press; or the Right of the People peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of Grievances".)

Long live the First Amendment.

Well, libel is not protected by the First Amendment.

Libel isn't. But censoring the free press is.

When Rump uses the word "libel", what he's actually talking about is his own butthurt snowflakery.

The free press cannot get away with libel.

The free press is subjected to protections, but doesn't have all speech protected, just like everyone else.

 

[Correll]

Wow, from 14, he looked him up for a rematch? What a loser.

It is pretty pathetic that the AP though that was worth reporting.

 

[EGR one]

Note the forum: "US Constitution" -- not Current Events or Politics. This is not (particularly) a story about Sean Spicer. It is a story about the First Amendment and whether it can be curtailed at will.

Spicer Threatens Legal Action over AP Report

>> Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer is threatening to take legal action against The Associated Press over a report from the wire service about an incident on his book tour.

Spicer’s attorney Michael Bowe said in a statement Saturday night that the AP “recklessly republished a categorically false accusation about Sean Spicer.”

“The claim is a lie. Absent an immediate retraction, Mr. Spicer will take legal action Monday,” Bowe said.

The AP report, published Saturday, documented an incident at Spicer’s book signing in Middletown, R.I., on Friday during which a black man claiming to be a former classmate of Spicer’s at Portsmouth Abbey School accused Spicer of using a racial slur.

... Video of the encounter published by NewportRI.com shows the man, identified as Alex Lombard, approaching Spicer at event.

"Sean, I was a day student at [Portsmouth] Abbey, too, with you,” Lombard said.

“Hey," Spicer replies. "Yes, how are you?”

You don’t remember that you tried to fight me?" Lombard said. "But you called me a [n-word] first."

The video then shows security escorting Lombard out of the event.

"I was 14 then. I was a scared kid then, Sean. I’m not scared to fight you now," Lombard can be heard yelling. <<
​

The AP report in question is in the link worded "AP Report". The actual video of the incident taking place, in full, is at the link worded "NewportRI.com".

Obviously the event happened. You can't deny what's clearly visible and audible on video --- yet here's Spicer's attorney threatening just that.

In his campaigning in 2016 Spicer's ex-boss Rump infamously declared he would "open up" libel laws to intimidate journalism and control the flow of information.

​

Perhaps Spicer wishes that could have been a real thing*.


(* "Congress shall make no Law respecting an establishment of Religion, or prohibiting the free Exercise thereof; or abridging the Freedom of Speech, or of the Press; or the Right of the People peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of Grievances".)

Long live the First Amendment.

Well, libel is not protected by the First Amendment.

Libel isn't. But censoring the free press is.

When Rump uses the word "libel", what he's actually talking about is his own butthurt snowflakery.

The free press cannot get away with libel.

The free press is subjected to protections, but doesn't have all speech protected, just like everyone else.

I suspect that Spicer would be considered a public figure and the libel laws often do not apply, unless one can show malice by the AP.

 

[Correll]

Note the forum: "US Constitution" -- not Current Events or Politics. This is not (particularly) a story about Sean Spicer. It is a story about the First Amendment and whether it can be curtailed at will.

Spicer Threatens Legal Action over AP Report

>> Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer is threatening to take legal action against The Associated Press over a report from the wire service about an incident on his book tour.

Spicer’s attorney Michael Bowe said in a statement Saturday night that the AP “recklessly republished a categorically false accusation about Sean Spicer.”

“The claim is a lie. Absent an immediate retraction, Mr. Spicer will take legal action Monday,” Bowe said.

The AP report, published Saturday, documented an incident at Spicer’s book signing in Middletown, R.I., on Friday during which a black man claiming to be a former classmate of Spicer’s at Portsmouth Abbey School accused Spicer of using a racial slur.

... Video of the encounter published by NewportRI.com shows the man, identified as Alex Lombard, approaching Spicer at event.

"Sean, I was a day student at [Portsmouth] Abbey, too, with you,” Lombard said.

“Hey," Spicer replies. "Yes, how are you?”

You don’t remember that you tried to fight me?" Lombard said. "But you called me a [n-word] first."

The video then shows security escorting Lombard out of the event.

"I was 14 then. I was a scared kid then, Sean. I’m not scared to fight you now," Lombard can be heard yelling. <<
​

The AP report in question is in the link worded "AP Report". The actual video of the incident taking place, in full, is at the link worded "NewportRI.com".

Obviously the event happened. You can't deny what's clearly visible and audible on video --- yet here's Spicer's attorney threatening just that.

In his campaigning in 2016 Spicer's ex-boss Rump infamously declared he would "open up" libel laws to intimidate journalism and control the flow of information.

​

Perhaps Spicer wishes that could have been a real thing*.


(* "Congress shall make no Law respecting an establishment of Religion, or prohibiting the free Exercise thereof; or abridging the Freedom of Speech, or of the Press; or the Right of the People peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of Grievances".)

Long live the First Amendment.

Well, libel is not protected by the First Amendment.

Libel isn't. But censoring the free press is.

When Rump uses the word "libel", what he's actually talking about is his own butthurt snowflakery.

The free press cannot get away with libel.

The free press is subjected to protections, but doesn't have all speech protected, just like everyone else.

I suspect that Spicer would be considered a public figure and the libel laws often do not apply, unless one can show malice by the AP.

Showing malice is enough? Mmmm....

 

[Pogo]

I suspect that Spicer would be considered a public figure and the libel laws often do not apply, unless one can show malice by the AP.

Note the forum: "US Constitution" -- not Current Events or Politics. This is not (particularly) a story about Sean Spicer. It is a story about the First Amendment and whether it can be curtailed at will.

Spicer Threatens Legal Action over AP Report

>> Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer is threatening to take legal action against The Associated Press over a report from the wire service about an incident on his book tour.

Spicer’s attorney Michael Bowe said in a statement Saturday night that the AP “recklessly republished a categorically false accusation about Sean Spicer.”

“The claim is a lie. Absent an immediate retraction, Mr. Spicer will take legal action Monday,” Bowe said.

The AP report, published Saturday, documented an incident at Spicer’s book signing in Middletown, R.I., on Friday during which a black man claiming to be a former classmate of Spicer’s at Portsmouth Abbey School accused Spicer of using a racial slur.

... Video of the encounter published by NewportRI.com shows the man, identified as Alex Lombard, approaching Spicer at event.

"Sean, I was a day student at [Portsmouth] Abbey, too, with you,” Lombard said.

“Hey," Spicer replies. "Yes, how are you?”

You don’t remember that you tried to fight me?" Lombard said. "But you called me a [n-word] first."

The video then shows security escorting Lombard out of the event.

"I was 14 then. I was a scared kid then, Sean. I’m not scared to fight you now," Lombard can be heard yelling. <<
​

The AP report in question is in the link worded "AP Report". The actual video of the incident taking place, in full, is at the link worded "NewportRI.com".

Obviously the event happened. You can't deny what's clearly visible and audible on video --- yet here's Spicer's attorney threatening just that.

In his campaigning in 2016 Spicer's ex-boss Rump infamously declared he would "open up" libel laws to intimidate journalism and control the flow of information.

​

Perhaps Spicer wishes that could have been a real thing*.


(* "Congress shall make no Law respecting an establishment of Religion, or prohibiting the free Exercise thereof; or abridging the Freedom of Speech, or of the Press; or the Right of the People peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of Grievances".)

Long live the First Amendment.

Well, libel is not protected by the First Amendment.

Libel isn't. But censoring the free press is.

When Rump uses the word "libel", what he's actually talking about is his own butthurt snowflakery.

The free press cannot get away with libel.

The free press is subjected to protections, but doesn't have all speech protected, just like everyone else.

Once AGAIN there is no "libel" involved here.

And to be accurate I didn't see Spicer or his attorney bring up "libel". It was only mentioned in the OP (me) as a related background. I have no reason to suspect that they're going to try to claim "libel". Nor can they.

 

[Pogo]

Wow, from 14, he looked him up for a rematch? What a loser.

It is pretty pathetic that the AP though that was worth reporting.

Irrelevant. It's an event that happened. How anyone "feels" about it is immaterial to the fact that they have the right to disseminate the information.

 

[Correll]

Wow, from 14, he looked him up for a rematch? What a loser.

It is pretty pathetic that the AP though that was worth reporting.

Irrelevant. It's an event that happened. How anyone "feels" about it is immaterial to the fact that they have the right to disseminate the information.

Sure. They have the right to do that.


But it shows that they are completely partisan pieces of shit.

 

[Pogo]

Wow, from 14, he looked him up for a rematch? What a loser.

It is pretty pathetic that the AP though that was worth reporting.

Irrelevant. It's an event that happened. How anyone "feels" about it is immaterial to the fact that they have the right to disseminate the information.

Sure. They have the right to do that.


But it shows that they are completely partisan pieces of shit.

Again --- your opinion is entitled, but still irrelevant.

Once again for the slow readers, this is a thread about the Constitution and how it works, not whether a news story that crosses your path is made of unicorns. Thank you for your vote in support of the COTUS, however distasteful it must have been.

 

[Correll]

Wow, from 14, he looked him up for a rematch? What a loser.

It is pretty pathetic that the AP though that was worth reporting.

Irrelevant. It's an event that happened. How anyone "feels" about it is immaterial to the fact that they have the right to disseminate the information.

Sure. They have the right to do that.


But it shows that they are completely partisan pieces of shit.

Again --- your opinion is entitled, but still irrelevant.

Once again for the slow readers, this is a thread about the Constitution and how it works, not whether a news story that crosses your path is made of unicorns. Thank you for your vote in support of the COTUS, however distasteful it must have been.

No, if the media is doing a bad job, then talking about it, and holding the accountable, is not out of bounds.


Your assumption that any criticism of the press is tantamount to "threatening the free press" is just you fighting against any pushback to their unchecked abuse of power.

 

[HenryBHough]

Wow, liberals panties all in knots over the right learning to play the legal system according to Alinsky rules! Fortunately they're all dickless wonders so no little weenies to get squeezed.

 

[Pogo]

Wow, from 14, he looked him up for a rematch? What a loser.

It is pretty pathetic that the AP though that was worth reporting.

Irrelevant. It's an event that happened. How anyone "feels" about it is immaterial to the fact that they have the right to disseminate the information.

Sure. They have the right to do that.


But it shows that they are completely partisan pieces of shit.

Again --- your opinion is entitled, but still irrelevant.

Once again for the slow readers, this is a thread about the Constitution and how it works, not whether a news story that crosses your path is made of unicorns. Thank you for your vote in support of the COTUS, however distasteful it must have been.

No, if the media is doing a bad job, then talking about it, and holding the accountable, is not out of bounds.


Your assumption that any criticism of the press is tantamount to "threatening the free press" is just you fighting against any pushback to their unchecked abuse of power.

I'll simply quote, again, from the story in my OP:

Spicer’s attorney Michael Bowe said in a statement Saturday night that the AP “recklessly republished a categorically false accusation about Sean Spicer.”

“The claim is a lie. Absent an immediate retraction, Mr. Spicer will take legal action Monday,” Bowe said.​

Get that now? This attorney is claiming the altercation ---- CLEARLY CAPTURED ON VIDEO AND AUDIO --- is "categorically false". He's saying that what's on video did not happen.

Understand? And he's demanding that AP ---- which didn't even originate the story but passed on a report from the Newport site ---- "retract" their news that the altercation happened. That would be --- again --- the altercation that happened in front of dozens of witnesses and was actually recorded. In full.

If that ain't threatening the free press I'm the god damned queen of Belgium.

 

[frigidweirdo]

Note the forum: "US Constitution" -- not Current Events or Politics. This is not (particularly) a story about Sean Spicer. It is a story about the First Amendment and whether it can be curtailed at will.

Spicer Threatens Legal Action over AP Report

>> Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer is threatening to take legal action against The Associated Press over a report from the wire service about an incident on his book tour.

Spicer’s attorney Michael Bowe said in a statement Saturday night that the AP “recklessly republished a categorically false accusation about Sean Spicer.”

“The claim is a lie. Absent an immediate retraction, Mr. Spicer will take legal action Monday,” Bowe said.

The AP report, published Saturday, documented an incident at Spicer’s book signing in Middletown, R.I., on Friday during which a black man claiming to be a former classmate of Spicer’s at Portsmouth Abbey School accused Spicer of using a racial slur.

... Video of the encounter published by NewportRI.com shows the man, identified as Alex Lombard, approaching Spicer at event.

"Sean, I was a day student at [Portsmouth] Abbey, too, with you,” Lombard said.

“Hey," Spicer replies. "Yes, how are you?”

You don’t remember that you tried to fight me?" Lombard said. "But you called me a [n-word] first."

The video then shows security escorting Lombard out of the event.

"I was 14 then. I was a scared kid then, Sean. I’m not scared to fight you now," Lombard can be heard yelling. <<
​

The AP report in question is in the link worded "AP Report". The actual video of the incident taking place, in full, is at the link worded "NewportRI.com".

Obviously the event happened. You can't deny what's clearly visible and audible on video --- yet here's Spicer's attorney threatening just that.

In his campaigning in 2016 Spicer's ex-boss Rump infamously declared he would "open up" libel laws to intimidate journalism and control the flow of information.

​

Perhaps Spicer wishes that could have been a real thing*.


(* "Congress shall make no Law respecting an establishment of Religion, or prohibiting the free Exercise thereof; or abridging the Freedom of Speech, or of the Press; or the Right of the People peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of Grievances".)

Long live the First Amendment.

Well, libel is not protected by the First Amendment.

Libel isn't. But censoring the free press is.

When Rump uses the word "libel", what he's actually talking about is his own butthurt snowflakery.

The free press cannot get away with libel.

The free press is subjected to protections, but doesn't have all speech protected, just like everyone else.

I suspect that Spicer would be considered a public figure and the libel laws often do not apply, unless one can show malice by the AP.

Well, libel still applies to public figures.

If Spicer could show he's losing earnings because of it.

 

[frigidweirdo]

I suspect that Spicer would be considered a public figure and the libel laws often do not apply, unless one can show malice by the AP.

Note the forum: "US Constitution" -- not Current Events or Politics. This is not (particularly) a story about Sean Spicer. It is a story about the First Amendment and whether it can be curtailed at will.

Spicer Threatens Legal Action over AP Report

>> Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer is threatening to take legal action against The Associated Press over a report from the wire service about an incident on his book tour.

Spicer’s attorney Michael Bowe said in a statement Saturday night that the AP “recklessly republished a categorically false accusation about Sean Spicer.”

“The claim is a lie. Absent an immediate retraction, Mr. Spicer will take legal action Monday,” Bowe said.

The AP report, published Saturday, documented an incident at Spicer’s book signing in Middletown, R.I., on Friday during which a black man claiming to be a former classmate of Spicer’s at Portsmouth Abbey School accused Spicer of using a racial slur.

... Video of the encounter published by NewportRI.com shows the man, identified as Alex Lombard, approaching Spicer at event.

"Sean, I was a day student at [Portsmouth] Abbey, too, with you,” Lombard said.

“Hey," Spicer replies. "Yes, how are you?”

You don’t remember that you tried to fight me?" Lombard said. "But you called me a [n-word] first."

The video then shows security escorting Lombard out of the event.

"I was 14 then. I was a scared kid then, Sean. I’m not scared to fight you now," Lombard can be heard yelling. <<
​

The AP report in question is in the link worded "AP Report". The actual video of the incident taking place, in full, is at the link worded "NewportRI.com".

Obviously the event happened. You can't deny what's clearly visible and audible on video --- yet here's Spicer's attorney threatening just that.

In his campaigning in 2016 Spicer's ex-boss Rump infamously declared he would "open up" libel laws to intimidate journalism and control the flow of information.

​

Perhaps Spicer wishes that could have been a real thing*.


(* "Congress shall make no Law respecting an establishment of Religion, or prohibiting the free Exercise thereof; or abridging the Freedom of Speech, or of the Press; or the Right of the People peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of Grievances".)

Long live the First Amendment.

Well, libel is not protected by the First Amendment.

Libel isn't. But censoring the free press is.

When Rump uses the word "libel", what he's actually talking about is his own butthurt snowflakery.

The free press cannot get away with libel.

The free press is subjected to protections, but doesn't have all speech protected, just like everyone else.

Once AGAIN there is no "libel" involved here.

And to be accurate I didn't see Spicer or his attorney bring up "libel". It was only mentioned in the OP (me) as a related background. I have no reason to suspect that they're going to try to claim "libel". Nor can they.

I was making a point about how freedom of speech doesn't cover all speech.

 

[Pogo]

Wow, liberals panties all in knots over the right learning to play the legal system according to Alinsky rules! Fortunately they're all dickless wonders so no little weenies to get squeezed.

Unfortunatement Henri, this thread is about the Constitution, not about "dicks". I suggest you try the Flamer Zone.

 

[Correll]

Wow, from 14, he looked him up for a rematch? What a loser.

It is pretty pathetic that the AP though that was worth reporting.

Irrelevant. It's an event that happened. How anyone "feels" about it is immaterial to the fact that they have the right to disseminate the information.

Sure. They have the right to do that.


But it shows that they are completely partisan pieces of shit.

Again --- your opinion is entitled, but still irrelevant.

Once again for the slow readers, this is a thread about the Constitution and how it works, not whether a news story that crosses your path is made of unicorns. Thank you for your vote in support of the COTUS, however distasteful it must have been.

No, if the media is doing a bad job, then talking about it, and holding the accountable, is not out of bounds.


Your assumption that any criticism of the press is tantamount to "threatening the free press" is just you fighting against any pushback to their unchecked abuse of power.

I'll simply quote, again, from the story in my OP:

Spicer’s attorney Michael Bowe said in a statement Saturday night that the AP “recklessly republished a categorically false accusation about Sean Spicer.”

“The claim is a lie. Absent an immediate retraction, Mr. Spicer will take legal action Monday,” Bowe said.​

Get that now? This attorney is claiming the altercation ---- CLEARLY CAPTURED ON VIDEO AND AUDIO --- is "categorically false". He's saying that what's on video did not happen.

Understand? And he's demanding that AP ---- which didn't even originate the story but passed on a report from the Newport site ---- "retract" their news that the altercation happened.

If that ain't threatening the free press I'm the god damned queen of Belgium.

Fascinating. IS your reading comprehension really that bad, or are you just playing stupid to get in a pathetic zinger?

Do you understand the difference between the words "accusation", that Spicer's lawyer used, and "altercation" that you used?