Anti-Gay Wingnut Owes Rachel Maddow $25K

Covers defense’s legal fees in right-wing shock jock’s frivolous lawsuit

A rabidly anti-gay minister must reimburse MSNBC host Rachel Maddow for $24, 625.23 in legal fees, ThinkProgress reports today. A Minnesota court threw out a $50 million libel suit filed by Bradlee Dean, an ex-metalhead who founded You Can Run But You Cannot Hide Ministries, against Maddow.

The saga began last year when Maddow quoted a segment from Dean’s radio show in which he seemed to approve of countries that execute gays and lesbians. Decide for yourself: “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,” Dean said. His lawyers claimed Maddow had misrepresented his quote, which MSNBC unequivocally denied.

Maddow demanded that Dean drop the suit under anti-SLAPP (Strategic Laws Against Public Participation) protections, and the judge agreed, tossing it out.


What Do You Think?