Modulator

Stalking with Lawyers

You all have likely already run across this but if not head over to Eschaton and read about it in this post and subsequent posts.

It seems Donald Luskin, self proclaimed Krugman stalker, has taken offense with one of Atrios' posts and some of the comments therein:

You chose the unfortunate caption �Diary of a Stalker� for your link. More importantly, your readers, in responding to your invitation to comment, have posted numerous libelous statements regarding Mr. Luskin. Picking up on the theme you introduced, several have made false assertions that Mr. Luskin has committed the crime of stalking. Such a statement constitutes libel per se, an actionable tort subjecting both the author and the publisher to liability for both actual and punitive damages.

I haven't been able to scrounge up the offending comment thread to read but I have no doubt some of the folks might have been a bit rude toward Luskin. Tsk. Tsk.

I suspect this is more a publicity stunt on Luskin's part then anything else. And he will get his publicity but at what cost? I think Winds of Change nails it here:

And pundits who use slings ought to be able to take a stone or two, and the fact that Mr Luskin can't - the fact assuming that the letter Atrios posted was genuine (and the lawyer's name does check out on the firm website) - certainly drops him a few kilometers below credible in my view.

Will the luskin stalker meme top fair and balanced? Watch and enjoy.

Atrios provides a lengthy list of links to commentary on this here.

Via Skippy.

Posted by Steve on October 29, 2003