Mary Lou MacDonald suing RTE

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118988589#Comment_118988589

Is that not obvious from the statement I made?

You jumped to a conclusion from what at best is guesswork in the media - 'i.e. 'it is understood...'

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118988557#Comment_118988557

You've stated a few posts above that MLMD's claim is "frivolous" and "opportunistic" without even knowing what her claim is and here you are talking about "balance". Do you not see the cognitive dissonance??

MLMD will be required to produce evidence in a court of law, in what way, shape or form is that threatening to free speech?

If she wins, she will have been correct to bring the claim.

If she loses, she will have huge legal fees to pay, which I would imagine would put most people off making frivolous claims through the courts.

What is your specific issue with this?

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118988659#Comment_118988659

No, she doesn't.

People like Mary-Lou and Denis O'Brien engage in this kind of behaviour all the time. They send solicitor's letters threatening defamation, they commence cases that they never intend to pursue. It is media manipulation, designed to get the stories they don't like out of the public eye. It is a threat to democracy.

Bad when it is coming from a leading businessman, far worse when it is coming from a leading politician.

However, your cognitive dissonance will allow you to defend Mary-Lou and attack Denis O'Brien. Blatant politicking on behalf of a political party.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118988731#Comment_118988731

So until you have evidence, RTE are innocent, and the case should be dropped. That is all that one can say until you see the evidence, if there is any.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989023#Comment_118989023

???

blanch, I am NOT taking the case.

Jaysus, the shark is getting jumped over and back here today. 😁

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989018#Comment_118989018

FFS, that doesn't even make a modicum of sense.

Doing what MLMD has focused attention on whatever the story was. It was long gone out of focus.

A bonkers hypothesis.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989055#Comment_118989055

You are defending Mary-Lou taking a defamatory action, for which there is no supporting evidence, in a blatant attempt to silence the media commentary and free speech in relation to politics. Not a good look, Francie, not a good look.

At the very least, if you have any belief in democracy and free speech, you should be expressing concern, if, like me, you have heard the interview, you should be very worried about this blatant action.

CarProblem

@blanch152 "People like Mary-Lou and Denis O'Brien engage in this kind of behaviour all the time."

Has MLMD a history of defamation cases? I hadn't heard of others (genuinely - I'm not saying they don't exist). Any links to these other cases seeing she does it all the time?

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989080#Comment_118989080

I didn't defend or condone what she has done.

Do you favour removing somebody's right to seek redress if defamed? Yes or no?

Sounds very undemocratic if you do.

Donald Trump

I seem to recall a situation about 10 years ago when a certain promotion company, maybe something to do with music, was suing an online forum for some reason and as a result it was not allowed to mention them at all.

And another case where a company, who had a partner who was someone's daddy, also had mention of their company shut down from any online discussion under the threat of expensive litigation.

Rolling out the big guns to suppress information and try try to control the narrative and allow space for your own propaganda isn't solely limited to politicians. It just happens that most decent people would see the issue with politicians who do that. Obviously not all people are decent though

A person or organisation with a big war chest behind them can still bully you into submission as they know they can drag you into a war of attrition that will destroy you before it ends, even when you likely win.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989073#Comment_118989073

No it is not, it is making sure that Sinn Fein and Mary Lou shut down the media, dare to question or comment on them and if they don't like it then they will sue....

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989102#Comment_118989102

It's 'not' doing what?

It is reviving the story and bringing a powerful spotlight on it.

That it's an attempt to shut down the story is just stupid nonsense.

Donald Trump

`

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989113#Comment_118989113

It sure is a strange way of shining a spotlight on it Francie. Nobody can ascertain what the offence might be from the video. The "injured party" has refused to say what it was and has instead initiated legal proceedings which prevents the "other side" from discussing it.

Kind of like the way you get these "celebrities" in the UK shining a spotlight on their misdemeanors by getting a super-injunctions which prevent any reporting of the misdeameanour or of the existence of the injunction preventing them from talking about it!

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118988659#Comment_118988659

As did a certain TD when she filed for a personal injury for falling from a swing. If you support one, then support the other. I support neither.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989073#Comment_118989073

Doing what MLMD has done has at the very least ensured that the alleged offending piece will be taken off RTE Player, therefore reducing the number of people who will hear it. As I said already, deeply worrying media manipulation. It also prevents the subject being raised again.

This is a well-known tactic used by celebrities and businessmen to date, and now being copied by Sinn Fein politicians. A bad development for our democracy. This defamation action clearly falls into the category of those that are designed to prevent media discussion.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/commission-proposes-law-to-protect-journalists-from-abusive-lawsuits-1.4863516

As this paper says

"Across Europe, laws are being used by powerful and wealthy individuals in the hope of intimidating and silencing journalists who are disclosing inconvenient truths that are in the public interest. These legal threats and actions are crippling not only for the media but for our democracies."

https://www.indexoncensorship.org/campaigns/the-laws-being-used-to-silence-media/

What you are defending is a threat to democracy.

blanch152

https://www.thejournal.ie/defamation-laws-oireachtas-5376344-Mar2021/

"European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders told the Oireachtas European Affairs Committee this afternoon that “frequent defamation legal cases, high cost of defence and high damage awards by Irish courts are seen as an inducement to self-censorship”"

"Reynders added that such a situation can also damage efforts from the media to highlight corruption."

This is what Mary-Lou is exploiting with her opportunistic defamation action. It is flabbergasting to read the constant defence of her.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989073#Comment_118989073

It Mary-Lou was only interested in correcting the record, she could have gone to the Press Council. However, by initiating a defamation action, she is attempting to silence the press.

https://www.indexoncensorship.org/campaigns/the-laws-being-used-to-silence-media/#Ireland

"Although Ireland ranks highly in press freedom indexes, its legal system is among the most vulnerable in Europe to abuse by vexatious litigators"

"The fact that defamation is no longer a criminal offence offers little comfort to journalists and media outlets due to the lengthy legal process and significant costs associated with a defence. In some cases, the burden of a lawsuit could be high enough to close a media outlet for good. Few media outlets decide to take the risk of going to court, often opting to settle instead."

This is what Mary-Lou is aiming to do.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989177#Comment_118989177

Mary Lou could get into a car, drive over a person, reverse back over them and you would have people still on here defending her. It is totally illogical. One minute you have SF supporters shouting and roaring about the media and they are corrupt, not telling the real story etc etc etc

The next minute SF are trying to shut down the media from reporting and suddenly this is in the interest of everyone.

I would say it is baffling carry on but in reality it is not at all, next week if Leo took out a defamation case about someone he would be the World worst and trying to shut down the media

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989195#Comment_118989195

Sure, just look at the criticism over on the Leo thread where Leo talked about suing the Village. He was hounded for weeks, and that wasn't the national broadcaster.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989177#Comment_118989177

So answer the question blanch:

Do you think somebody should have recourse if they feel they are defamed/slandered.

It's a Yes or No answer.

Your criticism of frivolous cases should be directed at those who are giving out frivolous awards, if there is no defamation why are they accepting liability?

We can judge whether MLMD's case is frivolous only when we know the details.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989205#Comment_118989205

Was it an attempt to do what the EU stated blanch?

He wasn't 'hounded' because he threatened, he was hounded to proceed with a suit, because everyone guessed it was frivolous and attempt to shut down an independent media outlet which exposed something he later had to confess to and apologise for.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989318#Comment_118989318

Do you know exactly what he was going to sue for?

Because with MLMD, we apparently can't say anything with any sort of negative tone because whatever she is suing for, nobody can tell.

Would you apply the same standard to criticism of LV?

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989328#Comment_118989328

He was going to sue on grounds that the article was misleading and defamatory.

A few days later he was accepting the content of the article and apologising for wrongdoing.

In relation to MLMD, we don't even know what specific thing that was said is the subject of the case.

She hasn't 'threatened' to sue, she has moved to sue.

Now, you either believe a person has the right to do that or not.

You can hold your court when we know the specifics.

Do ANY OF YOU care to answer - has she (or anyone else) the right to redress or not. Yes or No?

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989368#Comment_118989368

It has been reported that MLMD has filed a defamation suit against RTE. We don't know the exact sentence or word she has taken exception to. Therefore we cannot criticise her?

In the case of LV, it was reported that he might file a case for defamation. We don't know the exact phrase or sentence he took exception to. Therefore we can criticise him?

Seems a little inconsistent

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989393#Comment_118989393

Varadkar was criticised for NOT going through with his threat. He did exactly what was outlined here, tried to shut down the story through legal scare tactics.

Mary Lou apparently has gone through with her threat and issued proceedings. Over what specifically, we don't know.

Now, does Leo's actions therefore preclude anybody from seeking redress?

Simple question Donald, you guys are running from.

Does she or anybody else (including Leo) have the right to seek redress? Yay or nay?

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989410#Comment_118989410

At least Mary Sue knows that no matter what she or Sinn Fein does you will always take their side.

But it's not just Mary Sue is it Francie, what about all the other cases that Sinn Fein TD's are taking? clearly a sustained attack by the party at the media. Along with the constant barrage at specific journalist online by the mob who deem them "non SF supporters" it seems like an organised campaign to shut the media down in Ireland

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989478#Comment_118989478

The converse is true also.

You and a certain cohort will criticise everything SHinner while defending others who do it.

I have criticised SF over several incidents/events. Fact BA, facts defeat you.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989551#Comment_118989551

No need to lie

Anyway as I posted this is just the latest in a campaign by Mary Sue and the rest of SF against the media

Concerning times

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989639#Comment_118989639

Do you accept that Leo was attempting to silence the media?

Do you think a person (whosoever) has the right to recourse or not?

*I suspect you will also run from these questions as your hypocrisy will be exposed.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989368#Comment_118989368

Do the people that Mary-Lou defamed in the Dail have a right to redress? Did you criticise her for that? No, you didn't, you defended her use of privilege.

You see the right to redress is not absolute in the case of defamation. Any politician that takes defamation action must be viewed with a jaundiced eye (unless it is something very personal or related to family etc.). The primary motivation in this case appears to be to silence bad press. It is a disgrace.