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Gallagher to sue RTÉ

senorwipesalot

This should be interesting.
Is Pats frontline about to get a licking?

The former Presidential candidate Sean Gallagher is to take legal action against RTÉ over the 'Frontline' debate.

The businessman will seek a declaration from the High Court that the debate in October of 2011 was "unfair" and "seriously damaged his electoral prospects".

In a statement this morning, his solicitor Paul Tweed accuses the state broadcaster of breaching a duty of care, negligence and breaching statutory duty.

He said the report of the internal review into the 'Frontline' programme strengthened his client's resolve and that Mr Gallagher has been left with no alternative but to pursue the matter in court.

Yesterday, RTÉ confirmed that a plenary summons had been received on Friday and said that there would be "no further comment for now".

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/gallagher-to-sue-rte-580168.html

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Biggins

sure joe wrote: »

gallagher was way ahead in the polls and took a nose dive after this show. the least he is entitled to is loss of earning for seven years on his arus. the only good thing about his non election is that some oul codger who spent his entire life wasting taxpayers money visiting every country in the world has now retired and not left the house since

1. He was not "way ahead". He might or was temp' ahead possibly at the time.

2. Until votes are counted, there is no legal proof that he would have won - so any possible claim to be entitled to seven years of money would be a probably be lost legal argument.

[Deleted User]

Has Gallagher ever earned a penny that didn't come from grants or other scams? Worst 'entrepreneur' ever.

expectationlost

Biggins wrote: »

To be fair, I'm sure the show got loads of tweets alone that night.
Would they have time/staff to check all or even some of them?

it wasn't just any tweet it was a tweet that they thought was coming from the mcguiness account yes they had time to check that, epescially with mcguiness and his staff being right there in the room with them!

Biggins

expectationlost wrote: »

it wasn't just any tweet it was a tweet that they thought was coming from the mcguiness account yes they had time to check that, epescially with mcguiness and his staff being right there in the room with them!

I understand what your trying to say and to some extent your right.
Looking at it practically though, if they were to try checking every or any tweet (or message) that related to anyone on the live show - they would have to stop the show mid-stream every minute or two and call candidates off, consistently to one side asking "Is it possible to check this with you?" - then go off and then try verify their response!

Very messy.

cup of tea

expectationlost wrote: »

it wasn't just any tweet it was a tweet that they thought was coming from the mcguiness account yes they had time to check that, epescially with mcguiness and his staff being right there in the room with them!

It was '' Sinn Féins '' account and not '' McGuinnness' '' account was it not?

Death and Taxes

Biggins wrote: »

To be fair, I'm sure the show got loads of tweets alone that night.
Would they have time/staff to check all or even some of them?

Yea but that particular one was high accusatory, no broadcaster should go with something that explicit without checking it first.

Biggins

WileyCoyote wrote: »

Yea but that particular one was high accusatory, no broadcaster should go with something that explicit without checking it first.

I agree - no argument.
I'm just looking at the limited time and resources they might have had for the show.
Given the tweet came in at what time(?) into the show, how limited in time even after that would they have to check it (maybe along with others) out?

We will probably never know.

RTE for sure screwed up.
Was it deliberate? I say "No".
It was just RTE usual standards.

slavetothegrind

Surely he lost as a result of his responses to the accusations posed to him in the tweet?
The tweet itself was largely true wasn't it?

GRMA

It's quite simple - if he never did what he was acused of then he would have said so.

There are pictures of him at FF dos in the nineties ffs, he was neck deep in FF

Biggins

slavetothegrind wrote: »

Surely he lost as a result of his responses to the accusations posed to him in the tweet?
The tweet itself was largely true wasn't it?

From what I can remember (and open to be wrong), his responses were all over the place and at times even criticising themselves.

slavetothegrind

it was one of the rare times in a politicians life where the complete truth would have served him well!

I think he was just discombobulated by the accusation and never managed to get himself together.

Thankfully

expectationlost

Biggins wrote: »

I understand what your trying to say and to some extent your right.
Looking at it practically though, if they were to try checking every or any tweet (or message) that related to anyone on the live show - they would have to stop the show mid-stream every minute or two and call candidates off, consistently to one side asking "Is it possible to check this with you?" - then go off and then try verify their response!

Very messy.

but this isn't just _any tweet_ it appeared to come from the account of candidate _and his staff_ standing in the room at the time, unless you checked it,(i and many others were aware of that tweeter because he started tweeting about michael mcdowell's appearance on the rte frontline on its hastag a couple of weeks before, how the rte researchers didn't know??), i checked they had ten minutes between the time of the tweet and the time he brought it up on live tv to check it including a break, yes it was highly accusatory and if they hadn't time to check it they shouldn't have used it, it important everybody doesn't mix up rte's mistake with the opinion that sean gallagher shouldn't win his case. that it wasn't deliberate doesn't excuse for failing basic journalistic standards, hopefully after the case rte frontline and pat kenny will finally admit their mistake.

VinLieger

Good man sean living up to your first name and continuing the tradition of other seans to screw over the taxpayers

squod

I'm glad the usual FF/FG voters got their asses handed to them by some shonky old crock.

Just goes to show that when it comes to elections it's all about voting 'least worst' rather than 'best'. Chancers the lot of them. Hope the judge takes that into account.

Guy:Incognito

expectationlost wrote: »

Newry businessman Morgan pleaded guilty to fuel smuggling and tax evasion at Belfast Crown Court in June 1998. He received a suspended 18-month jail sentence. He paid £500,000 in excise duties and VAT and was ordered to pay £25,000 prosecution costs.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1356555/Gerry-Adams-fuel-smuggler-Sinn-Fein-leader-rents-election-office-firm-owned-convicted-criminal.html#ixzz2HD7fezrz

2007 morgan fuels delivering fuel to border depot with no license to trade oil rte primetime http://www.rte.ie/news/av/2007/1217/primetimeinvestigates.html#page=3

He should have just dodged a few million in tax on garlic instead, he'd have been a martyr and used as an example of the poor diwtrodded littleman in every thread.

Biggins

expectationlost wrote: »

...if they hadn't time to check it they shouldn't have used it, it important everybody doens't doesn't mix up rte's mistake with the opinion that sean gallagher shouldn't win his case.

It all boils down to a hell of a screw-up by RTE.

Now if there was no truth in it whatsoever - that it was a 100% TOTAL load of cobblers, Gallagher should have additionally been able to say so.
If my memory serves me right, he was unable to do this.

Had it been me, I would have hopefully replied "I honestly don't remember or know abut the matter referred to in the tweet but I'm quite willing to openly look into the matter at the first available opportunity."

...Or words to that effect.

Gallaghers response(s) were all over the place, confusing and maybe even contradictory.
I think that this as much too contributed to the sinking of public confidence in him through the show that night.

kippy

Richard Hillman wrote: »

It seems that some people will only start to care about what happened until its their guy that gets screwed over. People need to see the bigger picture in this. RTE or TV3 can do this again in the next General Election if they want. We need extremely strict guidelines and legal legislation to cover future debates.

If we have a General Election in a couple of years, I do not feel comfortable having the current system in place. Tv companies can not be allowed to influence votes, its wrong and extremely dangerous.

We need to have a fully independent chair of the debate, not the likes of Pat Kenny or Vincent Browne.

We need to do away with Pantomime audiences. The debate must be in a closed studio with only essential personal preset.

The chair of the debate must have his/hers voting history disclosed or the chair should be drafted from abroad to ensure full independence. Or the debate can be conducted by members of the the supreme court.

The questions must be disclosed before the debate.

When the debate participants alloted time is up, the microphone must be cut.

The debate must be pre-recorded with the supreme court overseeing what is included.

You want strict guidelines? Dont have televised debates at all.

crockholm

It just seems to be lost on some of the posters posting vitriol about gallagher,is the fairness of it, it won't cost me a wink of sleep who holds the ceremonial role.
I would be looking towards the case to see did internal politics play a role in the questioning of the candidates?
Is there evidence of an "our man for the job" by senior RTE producers.
while obviously not as serious, if we were to imagine Fox news having the same audience share and prestige as RTE does in Ireland, and an important political debate was hosted by them where undue leniency was placed on the republican, and the democrat gets the "when did you stop beating your wife"questions, would said posters bee so placid?
thank you

repsol

crockholm wrote: »

It just seems to be lost on some of the posters posting vitriol about gallagher,is the fairness of it, it won't cost me a wink of sleep who holds the ceremonial role.
I would be looking towards the case to see did internal politics play a role in the questioning of the candidates?
Is there evidence of an "our man for the job" by senior RTE producers.
while obviously not as serious, if we were to imagine Fox news having the same audience share and prestige as RTE does in Ireland, and an important political debate was hosted by them where undue leniency was placed on the republican, and the democrat gets the "when did you stop beating your wife"questions, would said posters bee so placid?
thank you

I have no time for any of the candidates really but RTE need to be hammered for trying to interfere with democracy.It was for president this time but it could be for something important next time.I hope Gallagher gets a load of money because only then will RTE take action.They are a joke.What other broadcaster gets advertising and licence fees? And they are still rubbish!Apart from the Gallagher affair,there was the sports award debacle and the new year Gathering coverage which was amateurish at best.It is getting embarrassing frankly.

Biggins

repsol wrote: »

I have no time for any of the candidates really but RTE need to be hammered for trying to interfere with democracy.It was for president this time but it could be for something important next time.I hope Gallagher gets a load of money because only then will RTE take action.They are a joke.What other broadcaster gets advertising and licence fees? And they are still rubbish!Apart from the Gallagher affair,there was the sports award debacle and the new year Gathering coverage which was amateurish at best.It is getting embarrassing frankly.

I think RTE as a service is a joke.
I think many think that.
I think RTE is a money rip-off.

...But was RTE using the show/tweet to "interfere with democracy" ?

No, I just think it was an unplanned RTE balls-up on the night by a station that many have come to expect to do such things.

expectationlost

crockholm wrote: »

It just seems to be lost on some of the posters posting vitriol about gallagher,is the fairness of it, it won't cost me a wink of sleep who holds the ceremonial role.
I would be looking towards the case to see did internal politics play a role in the questioning of the candidates?
Is there evidence of an "our man for the job" by senior RTE producers.
while obviously not as serious, if we were to imagine Fox news having the same audience share and prestige as RTE does in Ireland, and an important political debate was hosted by them where undue leniency was placed on the republican, and the democrat gets the "when did you stop beating your wife"questions, would said posters bee so placid?
thank you

1,007,104 vs 628,114

crockholm

expectationlost wrote: »

1,007,104 vs 628,114

Was out foreign during the vote,working alas. No problems with the legitimacy of our president, Just a little less gung-ho from the national broadcaster

dorkacle

The thing is, while the precedent set by RTE was wrong and something should be done about it, it diluted by the fact that your man Gallagher is a crook and got what he deserved!

So in a way I'm happy about it, but I don't condone it :pac:

sure joe

GRMA wrote: »

It's quite simple - if he never did what he was acused of then he would have said so.

There are pictures of him at FF dos in the nineties ffs, he was neck deep in FF

surely there is pictures of loads of people at FF dos, is that a criminal offence

crockholm

dorkacle wrote: »

The thing is, while the precedent set by RTE was wrong and something should be done about it, it diluted by the fact that your man Gallagher is a crook and got what he deserved!

So in a way I'm happy about it, but I don't condone it :pac:

Not my man,I promise
the end justifies the means?

Biggins

sure joe wrote: »

surely there is pictures of loads of people at FF dos, is that a criminal offence

Have you bothered to check about his involvement in FF at all?
Is simply not about going to "do's".
Its got NOTHING to do about "do's".

repsol

Biggins wrote: »

Have you bothered to check about his involvement in FF at all?
Is simply not about going to "do's".
Its got NOTHING to do about "do's".

Its nothing to do with Gallagher,FF or anything else like that.Its the issue of a state funded broadcaster who are supposed to be impartial not treating every candidate equally.Kenny and Co. gave it to Gallagher and McGuinness and gave the others an easy ride.That organisation is rotten to the core.Miriam O Callaghan gave members of the Quinn family a soft interview which was more like a party political broadcast on TV recently.Miriam doesn't do soft.I suspect she was warned off by her paymasters in advance.

suicide_circus

slavetothegrind wrote: »

Surely he lost as a result of his responses to the accusations posed to him in the tweet?
The tweet itself was largely true wasn't it?

does anyone have the actual wording of the offending tweet as read by PK ?

dorkacle

crockholm wrote: »

Not my man,I promise
the end justifies the means?

I'm not saying I agree with the process behind what happened.
RTE should be impartial and should have verified the tweet.

But to answer your question, put simply and with the benefit of hind sight.
Yes, in this case I think it does!

Biggins

suicide_circus wrote: »

does anyone have the actual wording of the offending tweet as read by PK ?

Don't have the actual wording but I think it supposedly confirmed something that was said by McGuinness earlier about money from a Mr Morgan being given thru Gallagher, to FF.

For the record, Fianna Fáil later confirmed that it had received a donation from Mr Morgan.

See: http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1025/president.html