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Michigan blogger goes national with story on Peter's hypocrisy, abuse of tax dollars

By Nick, Section News
Posted on Fri Oct 26, 2007 at 08:53:38 AM EST

Big ups today to a conservative blogger right here in Michigan who's doing big things right now. Dennis Lennox, the point person for the Central Michigan University group "Students Against Gary Peters," a regular contributor to Right Michigan and the chief blogger at the Peters Report found himself at the center of a MSM whirlwind yesterday garnering international attention for his efforts to protect the investment of students and tuition payers at Central Michigan University.

Everyone's familiar with the issue at this point... yooooooooour Lottery Commissioner Gary Peters decided to take a $2,000 an hour job teaching one class a week at CMU while running full-time for Congress a few hundred miles away in Oakland County. That is, of course, after Peters told Tim Skubick this during a taping of Off the Record:

"I certainly think from an ethical standpoint you should not be a public official, you should step down once you file with the FEC that you are a candidate for Congress. You should not be an employee of the state of Michigan. I feel pretty strongly about that from an ethical standpoint."

Funny, considering Peters took the job with CMU after deciding to run for Congress.

Dennis has been all over this from the start of Peter's tenure, asking the failed AG candidate to choose... campus or congress. In the process of his efforts Lennox has become persona non grata on campus, been harassed by school officials, had his first amendment rights tossed in the garbage and been physically assaulted by one of the Deans on campus.

That last bit, the actual assault, was the item that pushed the story of Peter's hypocrisy over the top, as Dave Eggert with the AP here in Michigan filed the story. It hit the wires and boom, Dennis was everywhere, including three links front and center on Drudge!

I got a hold of Dennis last night to see how he was handling the national coverage and if he'd ever anticipated anything like this. He's blown away and being contacted by media outlets from across the country. It looks like CMU's censorship has really struck a nerve and what with Peters flip-flopping on previous statements mixed with the 1st amendment issues and a conservative blogger who cared about the issue and cared about doing the right thing... well, it's created a perfect storm.

Here are some links to coverage literally from around the world. You've got CBS News, The Politico, The Guardian (UK), ABC News, AOL's front page and Fox News.

Meanwhile, the youtube video of Dean Pamela Gates assault of Dennis has been viewed nearly 200,000 times in the last 24 hours!

You remember the video... this one...

Michigan's "right roots" are alive and well and really starting to bloom. Congrats, Dennis. Just don't forget us little people as you go big-time! :)

< WARNING: Dems attempting another new tax hike -- T-minus 5 Days until Government Shutdown | Peters, CMU, and "Liberal Media Watch" >

Michigan blogger goes national with story on Peter's hypocrisy, abuse of tax dollars | 14 comments (14 topical, 0 hidden)

Keep Up... (none / 0) (#1)
by miresident on Fri Oct 26, 2007 at 09:19:31 AM EST

The good work Dennis - you have a LOT of support behind you!
MI Resident www.savemymichigan.com

Legalese (none / 0) (#2)
by mcdirt on Fri Oct 26, 2007 at 02:20:12 PM EST

A point of clarification: Any good first amendment lawyer, or savvy journalist, would be wary of using the legal term "assault" in a public forum to characterize an individual's actions for which no conviction has been obtained, nor charges filed.

mcdirt by chetly, 10/26/2007 07:20:14 PM EST (none / 0)

From the MSM by studentsagainstgarypeters, 10/26/2007 08:38:12 PM EST (none / 0)

Re Legalese (none / 0) (#5)
by Victor Laszlo on Sat Oct 27, 2007 at 07:57:36 AM EST

MCDIRT, anyone who is a competent practicing licensed attorney in the State of Michigan can very well see that Dean Gates committed assault and battery. Furthermore, just because no criminal charges will be prosecuted against her does not preclude civil charges from being filed against her by Dennis. Moreover, stating the foregoing in a public forum does not raise First Amendment concerns because in layman's terms (so that you can comprehend), the truth is a defense to any defamation claim that you might have in mind. In other words, the First Amendment does not prohibit, but rather underscores the right of the people to discourse facts like Dean Gates' commission of assault and battery against Dennis.

Right to Privacy (none / 0) (#6)
by Victor Laszlo on Sat Oct 27, 2007 at 08:08:36 AM EST

In addition, I seem to recall from Mitch Albom's whining on his show the other evening about Gary Peters' right to privacy at this time. Ummm...someone may want to update Mitch on current events but Gary Peters is a public figure by virtue of being a candidate for Congress and there is no right to privacy when one is on public grounds. Therefore, Gary Peters does not have a right to privacy when he is going to and from his car to this office or classroom. Peters would have a right to privacy in his office if he took measures to ensure such privacy by shutting his door and closing the blinds to his window. However, Peters' arguably waives his right to privacy in his office when he fails to take the foregoing and similar measures to guard his privacy.

$2,000 per Hour (none / 0) (#7)
by Victor Laszlo on Sat Oct 27, 2007 at 08:15:09 AM EST

At the above rate, one would think Gary Peters is a high price whore. Oh wait, he is a politician.

Thanks Vic.... (none / 0) (#8)
by mcdirt on Sat Oct 27, 2007 at 10:53:50 AM EST

Thankee for trying to dumb it down enough so I can get it! Truth is indeed an absolute defense against libel. And if this dean were to be convicted of assault, it would be true. Your belief the video shows indisputable evidence of an assault does not make it true.

None of this has anything to do with the student's right to a civil case, which anyone with the filing fee can make. Nor does it have to do with the First Amendment, which safeguards our right to discuss vigorously whether an assault was committed; criticize the Dean for her actions; criticize the prosecutor for failing to file a charge, etc. etc.

Of course the Dean won't sue RM or this student for libel, for all sorts of practical reasons. And, frankly, it wouldn't be a very strong libel case.

But my impression was that RM strives to be a forum for advocacy journalism, not just partisan howling (IMO there's too much of that already). If that's true, it might be important to adhere to basic principles of journalistic fairness and legality. If that's not true, then I'm mistaken and you can disregard my whole thread.

Ah but by chetly, 10/27/2007 11:51:04 AM EST (none / 0)

Libel (none / 0) (#10)
by mcdirt on Sat Oct 27, 2007 at 04:22:02 PM EST

Disagree with your legal analysis Chetly. Mostly. I do agree that it would be prohibitively difficult for any libel CONVICTION on Nick's use of "assault" as a matter of fact where none legally occurred as a matter of law.

Libel law makes no distinction between opinion writing and news.

The libel standard is malice or reckless disregard for the truth. Stating someone assaulted another person as a matter of fact COULD be construed as reckless disregard, given the right jury and the right circumstances. Libel judgments have been won on flimsier circumstances than the one we have here. Truly. Trust me. But they involve motivated and deep-pocketed plaintiffs with a point to prove and years to waste in court.

My intent isn't to do a legal analysis. Nor to save anyone from a libel suit that clearly isn't coming.

I just thought, as RM grows and -- I think -- strives to walk that balance between partisanship and advocacy journalism, that it might be instructional to point out there are some legal boundaries that should be adhered to legally, and ethically. That is, if RM wants to be known as a place where journalism is pursued, rather than just conservative politics.

IMO, if no one wants to acknowledge those boundaries, or if RM is content just being an outlet for conservatives to vent, then maybe I shouldn't have injected myself in the issue. But if there are people striving to be taken seriously as advocacy journalists yet they don't feel they have to adhere to basic legal and fairness standards, then someone needs to take another look at your regally clothed emperor.

Contradiction by chetly, 10/28/2007 09:34:48 PM EST (none / 0)

MCDIRT (none / 0) (#11)
by Victor Laszlo on Sun Oct 28, 2007 at 09:27:21 AM EST

MCDIRT, I happen to be a practicing attorney who is knowledgeable in defamation law and its standards and proof requirements. You assert the conclusory assertion in a previous post that "libel judgments have been won on flimsier circumstances than the one we have here." Please provide legal citations and/or the case name plus the year and court such case was decided in so that I can look the case up in Westlaw.

Victor, by the way by chetly, 10/28/2007 09:49:48 PM EST (none / 0)

Fictional Condition by Victor Laszlo, 10/30/2007 06:03:02 PM EST (none / 0)

Michigan blogger goes national with story on Peter's hypocrisy, abuse of tax dollars | 14 comments (14 topical, 0 hidden)

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