Rachel Maddow’s career is over. At least that’s what Larry Klayman — the lawyer for controversial preacher Bradlee Dean, and founder of Freedom Watch — said will come of a lawsuit filed against Maddow and MSNBC.
Bradlee Dean, a conservative preacher who is known for his incendiary, anti-homosexual rehetoric, and his ministry are seeking damages in excess of $50 million from Maddow and MSNBC for slander and false light.
After announcing the lawsuit Wednesday in New York, Dean and Klayman spoke by phone to the Michele Tafoya Show show on CBS radio.
At issue are comments Dean made on his own radio show last spring:
“Muslims are calling for the executions of homosexuals in America. This just shows you they themselves are upholding the laws that are even in the Bible of the Judeo-Christian God, but they seem to be more moral than even the American Christians do, because these people are livid about enforcing their laws. They know homosexuality is an abomination … If America won’t enforce the laws, God will raise up a foreign enemy to do just that.”
Maddow, the lawsuit says, took those comments and ran with them, claiming that Dean was essentially advocating killing homosexuals. Dean has issued a statement declaring his firm opposition to violence toward gays.
And since Dean has been linked to Rep. Michele Bachmann — the two have appeared at fundraisers together — Klayman claims MSNBC and Maddow are trying to sabotage Bachmann’s presidential campaign, by way of Dean.
Maddow is “trying to destroy Bradlee Dean, trying to destroy Bachmann,” Klayman said, adding that Maddow’s remarks were the “most outrageous statement I’ve heard in my entire life, and I’ve lived a bit here.”
Tafoya, pressing Dean a bit on his position on homosexuality, asked him if he indeed believes it is an “abomination.”
“If you’re asking if I’m in agreement with the word of God, then yes I am,” Dean responded.
Maddow’s remarks have harmed both Dean’s reputation and finances, Klayman said. “You can’t just say whatever you want,” he said. “This is going to cost MSNBC hundreds of millions of dollars and will probably end the career of Rachel Maddow.”
Listen to the audio:
h/t City Pages
David Taintor
David Taintor is the Front Page Editor at TPM, where he contributes to TPM's Livewire coverage, among other areas. David is from Chanhassen, Minnesota, where, yes, it gets very cold. Reach him at taintor [at] talkingpointsmemo.com