Alan Kluger vs. Marc Randazza in Anonymous Blogger Free Speech Fight!

I've not been shy in my admiration for the clever, snarky wit and attendant legal and writing skills of internet warrior/trailblazer Marc Randazza.

(Note to Surfside city attorney Lynn "Rage Against the Bloggers" Dannheiser -- your hilarious funny confusing Marc with the Italian place Randazzo's in the Gables remains a kneeslapper -- keep 'em coming!)

As Popehat documents, it is also a fact that Marc happens to find himself in the middle of lots and lots of interesting cases.

Marc's latest finds him before Judge Cooke in an important battle to preserve the rights of citizen journalists to blog anonymously -- does that sound too high-faluting for the kind of crap that passes for content here on this humble, time waster of a blog?

Yes, it does.

(Tim Elfrink provides all the background here).

But Marc eloquently lays out the larger principles involved in his motion to dismiss:

Plaintiffs, a series of real estate holding and management companies, and their directors,
accuse DOE of publishing defamatory statements concerning their business practices and other dealings through Google's Blogger service. Blogger is a service that allows users to create their own web blogs, or "blogs," on which they can express their opinions on numerous issues. Some blogs are general interest, while others may address specific, local issues, such as problems within a community, political matters, or topics of concern to consumers. Users of Blogger who create content - themselves known as "bloggers" - have the option of publishing their writings anonymously, as DOE has done in this case. Plaintiffs sued DOE for alleged defamatory material in a blog located at www.rkassociatesusa.blogspot.com and for false advertising under the Lanham Act 15 U.S.C. 1125(a).1 Plaintiffs have subpoenaed Google for its records relating to DOE in an
effort to learn his true identity. Plaintiffs' request is improper, and implicates fundamental Constitutional protections.

Free speech is a central Constitutional value, and one of great historical significance. The Federalist Papers, for instance, were all written anonymously while being pointedly critical of the policies and leaders many people championed during America's move toward adopting a written constitution. The United States Supreme Court has further sanctified anonymous speech in an honest and open society through decisions including McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission, 514 U.S. 334 (1995) and Talley v. California, 362 U.S. 60 (1960). See also City of Ladue v. Gilleo, 512 U.S. 43, 56 (1994) (noting that "the identity of the speaker is an important component of many attempts to persuade").

With these principles as a backdrop, courts have grappled with the First Amendment significance of subpoenas used to unmask anonymous speakers who speak via the internet on message boards, review services and other forums. Here, Plaintiffs' Complaint demonstrates no basis upon which a defamation or false advertising action can proceed, and they have not made the required prima facie showings.

Marc's adversary is longtime fave Alan Kluger, ably assisted by Todd Levine, who warned Tim over at New Times to be very very careful -- did I mention careful? about what he writes concerning the case: 

In the meantime, Levine has strong words for anyone who would consider writing about Katz's lawsuit. "I'd ask you not to publish anything about this," he says. "Even pointing people toward that blog could constitute further defamation."

How precisely?

Or will that just lead to another interesting Randazza defense?

Alan's vigorous response to the motion to dismiss is here, in which he describes Marc's argument as "specious" and his client's blog postings as "vile and defamatory per se."

To which I simply say -- carry on gentlemen, the yacht case can't continue forever!

SFL Friday -- I Like Exactly HALF This Picture!

Dang does Frank dress up nice!

I'm so pissed at Blogger for eating my posts and making me have to focus today almost exclusively on (1) my cases; and (2) deciphering the contents of Osama's porn stash.

Nearly as interesting as what's hawt right now in Abbottabad is this genuinely amusing defamation suit filed against the Internet.

Even better, our local intertubular representative in this epic legal fiasco is none other than bashful Brian Tannebaum.

Given the heavy hitters comprising the "Rakofsky 74" I am quite certain they will be ably represented, either by themselves or by that fabulous Coral Gables restaurateur Marc Randazzao.

This is the legal equivalent of Charlie Sheen -- someone needs to stop the train before it runs off the cliff.

(Let's see when -- or if -- Blogger posts this.)

Randazza Enters Lynn Dannheiser/Surfside Dispute.

Marc Randazza's law firm comes to the defense of Surfside bloggers who have been criticizing Surfside City Attorney Lynn Dannheiser and her recommendation to hire Gerry Houlihan.

Lynn's speech denouncing bloggers is already a must-see (part one is above).

Marc's work -- including his epic takedown of Glenn Beck -- is much admired in these parts, and I'm glad to see his firm helping out.

Lynn's letter to Marc's firm is offbeat, to say the least.

It starts by saying she's never heard of these guys and maybe they're related to a restaurant in Coral Gables?

Always a respectful way to begin.

Check out Randazza attorney Jason A. Fischer's reply, which has all of the trademark Randazzoa snark:

As a final point, we are obviously not affiliated in any way with Randazzo’s Little Italy restaurant in Coral Gables. Though we are well acquainted with that establishment’s quality cuisine. We presume that you were simply trying to make some kind of joke – one which nobody found particularly amusing, but one which was quite illustrative of the clear failure on your part to appreciate the seriousness of the charges that are being leveled against your employer. We trust that, should you continue to advise Town Commission on matters of constitutional compliance, you will crack fewer jokes and more volumes of case law.

Ouch.