"Smear Boat" Veterans File Publicity Stunt Lawsuit
They are at it again... those "Smear Boat" Veterans who are shills for the Republican Party. One would think that the Republican Party is in enough hot water right now (corruption, cronyism, scandals) and these fools would know better than to start dredging around for more publicity for their lost cause. But NO... Carlton Sherwood and his band of twisted cohorts who defamed John Kerry, are suing John Kerry and a former campaign staffer, claiming that they defamed him.
Carlton Sherwood claims that "the film was funded only by Vietnam veterans from Pennsylvania." Sherwood, himself is resident of Harrisburg, PA. The group fronting for Carlton Sherwood in the filing of this lawsuit is the Vietnam Veterans Legacy Foundation, who weren't even in existence during the 2004 campaign. Their website states they were launched on "05/05/2005."
This lawsuit is nothing more than another pathetic attempt by the people who masterminded the Swift Boat attacks and their allies to get publicity and raise funds for their bizarre and divisive right wing cause, not to mention their defense in a lawsuit pending against Carlton Sherwood by someone depicted in the film. This is the classic MO of these Swifties -- to make false and wild accusations in a desperate attempt to get media attention and raise money.
No doubt Nixon dirty trickster and Bush ally John O'Neill is wrapped up in this latest invention to keep himself and his twisted right wing cause in the news and smear any veteran who dares to speak truth to power. In fact, sources tell me that recently O'Neill sent out a fundraising email to gin up the right wing by once again exploiting the Vietnam tragedy and the politics of smear and fear, all in the name of cash.
But it won’t work. John O’Neil and the "Smear Boat" veterans were discredited by every major media outlet for their false and baseless attacks in 2004. The film Stolen Honor was also widely criticized in 2004 for its baseless accusations and a slanted viewpoint. Media outlets across the country refused to air it. In fact, the movie was SO FAR out of the mainstream, that even right wing Sinclair Broadcasting had to give up their plans to air it. Stolen Honor's producer, Carlton Sherwood, is known to be a "highly partisan right wing activist", a former Bush advisor, who is a "discredited" journalist.
As I mentioned, there is a lawsuit pending against the producers of Stolen Honor by someone depicted in the film, and in fact there are multiple lawsuits against Carlton Sherwood, et al. These lawsuits are still pending in court and this new lawsuit by this new Swift Boat front group clearly looks like an attempt to try to muddy the waters.
The Swift Boat attack team truly represents the very worst in American politics -- the smear and fear tactics so prevalent from the right wing. But, we are on to their tricks and tactics and we will not tolerate them. The truth is America is sick of them too.
Americans have seen too many times, how the right wing tries to destroy anyone with the courage to stand up to them -- whether it was John McCain in South Carolina in '00, Max Cleland in '02, John Kerry in '04, or even the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq in '05.
They will stoop to record lows to squash dissent and hold onto their power... Why? Because they hate John Kerry for his courage 35 years ago for standing up to Richard Nixon. And because, they fear John Kerry today because he still has the courage to hold Washington Republicans accountable. John Kerry has been on the the most hated list of every Republican president since Nixon. Think Iran Contra, think BCCI. He is their worst enemy.
So now we see, once again, that the right wing has gone right back to their disgraceful dirty tricks. The idea that these proven serial liars would sue John Kerry for libel is laughable... it is like an arsonist suing the guy who called 911 to get the firefighters before the building burned down. There was indeed lying, slander, and libel in 2004 and, it was done by these very same extreme right wing partisans.
John Kerry spoke the truth to power when he came home from Vietnam and he still continues to do so every day. Democrats need to stand with John Kerry and let him know "we've got your back."
Democrats need to fight back. Because, this isn't just about John Kerry. This is about every veteran who dares to dissent, this is about every man or woman in this country who has dared to speak the truth to power and been slimed by the partisan right wing hacks fronting for those who wrongly hold power in this country.
The culture of corruption is rampant in the Republican Party and this is just another sign of that corruption. It's time to make a stand. We've recently seen attempts to "Swift Boat" Cindy Sheehan and Paul Hackett. We can not allow this to continue.
David Wade a Kerry spokesperson told AP News yesterday, "This is simply more of the same smears and sleaze against a decorated Vietnam veteran from more of the same serial liars who disgraced themselves in 2004. It's too bad the truth doesn't matter to the right wing when there's a chance to fund-raise based on outright falsehood and slander."
Carlton Sherwood claims that "the film was funded only by Vietnam veterans from Pennsylvania." Sherwood, himself is resident of Harrisburg, PA. The group fronting for Carlton Sherwood in the filing of this lawsuit is the Vietnam Veterans Legacy Foundation, who weren't even in existence during the 2004 campaign. Their website states they were launched on "05/05/2005."
This lawsuit is nothing more than another pathetic attempt by the people who masterminded the Swift Boat attacks and their allies to get publicity and raise funds for their bizarre and divisive right wing cause, not to mention their defense in a lawsuit pending against Carlton Sherwood by someone depicted in the film. This is the classic MO of these Swifties -- to make false and wild accusations in a desperate attempt to get media attention and raise money.
No doubt Nixon dirty trickster and Bush ally John O'Neill is wrapped up in this latest invention to keep himself and his twisted right wing cause in the news and smear any veteran who dares to speak truth to power. In fact, sources tell me that recently O'Neill sent out a fundraising email to gin up the right wing by once again exploiting the Vietnam tragedy and the politics of smear and fear, all in the name of cash.
But it won’t work. John O’Neil and the "Smear Boat" veterans were discredited by every major media outlet for their false and baseless attacks in 2004. The film Stolen Honor was also widely criticized in 2004 for its baseless accusations and a slanted viewpoint. Media outlets across the country refused to air it. In fact, the movie was SO FAR out of the mainstream, that even right wing Sinclair Broadcasting had to give up their plans to air it. Stolen Honor's producer, Carlton Sherwood, is known to be a "highly partisan right wing activist", a former Bush advisor, who is a "discredited" journalist.
As I mentioned, there is a lawsuit pending against the producers of Stolen Honor by someone depicted in the film, and in fact there are multiple lawsuits against Carlton Sherwood, et al. These lawsuits are still pending in court and this new lawsuit by this new Swift Boat front group clearly looks like an attempt to try to muddy the waters.
The Swift Boat attack team truly represents the very worst in American politics -- the smear and fear tactics so prevalent from the right wing. But, we are on to their tricks and tactics and we will not tolerate them. The truth is America is sick of them too.
Americans have seen too many times, how the right wing tries to destroy anyone with the courage to stand up to them -- whether it was John McCain in South Carolina in '00, Max Cleland in '02, John Kerry in '04, or even the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq in '05.
They will stoop to record lows to squash dissent and hold onto their power... Why? Because they hate John Kerry for his courage 35 years ago for standing up to Richard Nixon. And because, they fear John Kerry today because he still has the courage to hold Washington Republicans accountable. John Kerry has been on the the most hated list of every Republican president since Nixon. Think Iran Contra, think BCCI. He is their worst enemy.
So now we see, once again, that the right wing has gone right back to their disgraceful dirty tricks. The idea that these proven serial liars would sue John Kerry for libel is laughable... it is like an arsonist suing the guy who called 911 to get the firefighters before the building burned down. There was indeed lying, slander, and libel in 2004 and, it was done by these very same extreme right wing partisans.
John Kerry spoke the truth to power when he came home from Vietnam and he still continues to do so every day. Democrats need to stand with John Kerry and let him know "we've got your back."
Democrats need to fight back. Because, this isn't just about John Kerry. This is about every veteran who dares to dissent, this is about every man or woman in this country who has dared to speak the truth to power and been slimed by the partisan right wing hacks fronting for those who wrongly hold power in this country.
The culture of corruption is rampant in the Republican Party and this is just another sign of that corruption. It's time to make a stand. We've recently seen attempts to "Swift Boat" Cindy Sheehan and Paul Hackett. We can not allow this to continue.
posted by Pamela J. Leavey at 10:02 AM
1 Comments:
I agree. what can we do to discredit these swift boat liars once and for all so that even their target audience can see there lies?
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