Publicola

Grass Roots North Carolina responds to the NRA's latest statements about the lawsuit mentioned previously. I would be more than happy to link to the previous posts, but the permalinks seem to be down.

Some highlights from GRNC's response:

"NRA BOARD MISREPRESENTATION: Board members such as H. Walt Walter and David Coy claimed GRNC is not a defendant in the suit.

FACT: The lawsuit (case # CA 03-906-A, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division) lists both Francis Paul Valone II and GRNC/FFE, Inc. 'Jointly & Severally', seeking $75,000 in damages.

NRA MISREPRESENTATION: Say official NRA communications, 'Mr. Valone sent an email to numerous people falsely claiming that [NRA lobbyist] Mrs. [Jennifer H.] Palmer was committing adultery.'

FACT: Responds attorney Jeffries: 'It is not true that F. Paul Valone II sent an email to various people falsely claiming that Ms. Palmer had committed adultery. Instead, he reported a conclusion made by another party (which had been reported to him by this third party after observation of Ms. Palmer's rapport with an Assistant North Carolina Attorney General). That report occurred in the context of an explanation of the NRA's and Ms. Palmer's activities undermining GRNC's legislative initiatives at the North Carolina General Assembly. This conclusion is confirmed by the plain language of the allegedly defamatory statement recited in the Complaint filed by NRA Assistant General Counsel Daniel Zavadil. Finally, Valone did not vouch for the accuracy of the information or assert its truth, but simply reported what he had been told'."

Read the whole thing for yourself. GRNC also discusses the NRA's statements concerning North Carolina's SB 919.

One thing I do find suspicious though: Since a lawsuit has been filed there is a public record of the plantiff, the defendant, their representation & the allegations. Further, in any trial the e-mails in question would become evidence. It would therefore seem to me that anyone who attempted to make false statements about this matter would be found out fairly quickly & efficiently, hence there is not a very good chance of successfully lying about it.

If anyone has any more information feel free to contact me.