Back in September, David Barton of WallBuilders revealed that he had filed defamation lawsuits against several individuals; specifically against two Democratic Texas State Board of Education candidates over a YouTube video that asserted that Barton was “known for speaking at white supremacist rallies” and an Examiner.com writer who asserted that Barton is “an admitted liar.”
Last night, while searching around to see if there had been any recent updates on any of these lawsuits, we stumbled across a report that, in April of this year, Barton’s “WallBuilders Live” co-host , Rick Green, had filed libel lawsuits against seven defendants stemming from his failed run for a seat on the Texas Supreme Court in 2010:
Former Republican Texas Supreme Court candidate Rick Green has filed a libel suit against several defendants alleging he lost the GOP 2010 primary because political activists in his own party and media members “crossed the line” in attacking his character during the course of his campaign. In his April 11 original petition, filed in Hays County’s 207th District Court, Green names seven defendants including former Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Phillips, who now is a partner in Baker Botts in Austin; Dr. John R. Coppedge; the Texas Tribune; and the Texas Association of Realtors. Among other things, Green alleges in the petition that Phillips and a political action committee run by Coppedge distributed a letter that accused Green, a former member of the Texas House of Representatives, of “several disturbing ethical lapses and lack of judgment” including that he “drew censure” from legislative colleagues for filming a nutritional supplement infomercial in his Capitol office. In the petition, Green disputes that he drew censure and writes that he “gave a short videotaped interview which was later used in an infomercial” in his office. Green alleges the Texas Tribune defamed him by publishing an article on its website that referenced Green as being “baggage-laden” and having a “questionable history,” among other things. Green also alleges the Texas Association of Realtors distributed an e-mail critical of him that contained false information.
It is truly amazing that men like Barton and Green, who seemingly do nothing but spread misinformation which they blatantly refuse to retract, have the gall to collectively sue multiple people on the grounds that criticism of them and their work constitutes libel and defamation.
