By: E&P Staff Ted Rall said his attorney tells him he'd have a case if he sued Ann Coulter for slander. But Rall added that he'll need to raise more funds if he's going to take legal action.
Coulter, a Universal columnist, said last Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.: "Iran is soliciting cartoons on the Holocaust. So far, only Ted Rall, Garry Trudeau, and The New York Times have made submissions."
Rall, a Universal editorial cartoonist, responded by saying he'd never submit such a drawing and that he'd consider suing Coulter if visitors to his blog pledged $6,000 (E&P Online, Feb. 13). That money was pledged, but it would only be enough to file a suit.
He wrote on his blog: "As a best-selling author, she [Coulter] is richer than me. Moreover, as a conservative she can draw upon well-heeled ideological allies to finance her legal defense. ... I could, of course, simply use the $6,000 I've raised so far through my pledge drive (thanks, everyone -- you're the best!) to pay for the initial filing of a lawsuit. The problem is what happens next.
"As months of depositions and discovery drag into years, even people who initially supported legal action tend to move on. ... Without continued public support I simply couldn't afford to keep making the necessary motions and filings, and would have to drop the suit. ... What I need, quite frankly, is enough money pledged up front -- and, if and when I file, paid directly to my attorneys -- to ensure that this case can be brought to trial."
Rall noted that some conservatives have asked why he doesn't pay for a lawsuit with his own money. "If I could, I would," he wrote. "But you'd be amazed how poorly cartooning and writing pays. I don't have that kind of cash."
The cartoonist could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday about how much beyond the $6,000 he'd need to raise.
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