#EndorseThis: John Oliver Slaps Down Coal Baron’s SLAPP Lawsuit

#EndorseThis: John Oliver Slaps Down Coal Baron’s SLAPP Lawsuit

Do you remember when John Oliver flipped off Bob Murray, Trump’s favorite coal baron – who then proceeded to try to intimidate Last Week Tonight with a libel lawsuit? We do. That lawsuit was thrown out, Murray’s giant company has filed for bankruptcy, and Oliver is celebrating by daring Murray to sue him again.

But as always, Oliver takes the matter beyond mockery to deliver an important lesson about press freedom in an era when big business and uber-wealthy individuals can use the courts to discourage and even destroy critics. Their favorite tool is the so-called SLAPP lawsuit, deployed against activists as well as journalists to protect unchecked corporate power.

You certainly don’t want to miss Oliver’s outrageously obscene song about Murray, who has fallen afoul of #MeToo in a sexual harassment case. It’s hard to think of a more deserving target.

 

 

 

 

 

Click and laugh.

Advertising

Start your day with National Memo Newsletter

Know first.

The opinions that matter. Delivered to your inbox every morning

Mitt Romney

Sen. Mitt Romney

One can sympathize with Mitt Romney for deciding not to run again in Utah for the U.S. Senate. The traditional Republican has found himself isolated in a party where majorities still revere Donald Trump.

Keep reading...Show less
Mike Huckabee

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee

Maybe I’m losing my mojo. For all the chatter about political violence out there, this column hasn’t drawn a death threat in months. Maybe not even this calendar year.

Keep reading...Show less
{{ post.roar_specific_data.api_data.analytics }}