Judge Says Websites Must Face Defamation Lawsuit For Calling Climate Scientist A ‘Fraud’

[Gothmog]

11. Steyn fired his 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 Mann’s 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 don’t have. Of course, we’ll 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 ain’t cheap.

The bills are already mounting.

This is our fight, legally. But with the global-warming extremists going all-out to silence critics, it’s 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