CNN Sued For $1.3 Billion Over Cafferty Remarks

Jack Cafferty set off a firestorm in China after his remarks (seen here) that the the nation is full of "goons and thugs" and that their exports are "junk." The Chinese government demanded that CNN apologize, which they did (lukewarmly), but the apology was apparently not enough for some Chinese citizens.

Reuters reports that CNN is now being sued by two Chinese citizens for $1.3 billion, or one dollar per Chinese citzen:

A Chinese primary school teacher and a beautician have filed a suit against CNN in New York over remarks they say insulted the Chinese people and are seeking $1.3 billion in compensation -- $1 per person in China, a Hong Kong newspaper reported.

The case against the Atlanta-based cable channel, its parent company Turner Broadcasting and Jack Cafferty, the offending commentator, comes after 14 lawyers launched a similar suit in Beijing alleging that Cafferty's remarks earlier this month violated the dignity and reputation of the Chinese people....

In New York, Liang Shubing, the beautician, and Li Lilan, a Beijing-based elementary school instructor, claimed Cafferty's words insulted all Chinese people and "intentionally caused mental harm" to the plaintiffs, the Ta Kung Pao newspaper reported on Thursday.

Previously: China Demands Apology From CNN's Cafferty For "Goons And Thugs" Comment

Comments

[thelifan]

Everyone that's complaining about the cheap products, do you not have a single item made in China? Would you prefer to spend 10 times the price for items made else where? It's ridiculous, if people cared enough to not support China's industrialization then why is Wal-mart the world's largest corporation by revenue?

[mjjcpa]

This case is without merit and I hope CNN will vehemently defend themselves by showing the numerous examples of China's thuggery, especially the control of speech, religion and reproduction.

[richardgordon]

Its not a matter of CNN defending themselves. American courts should throw this idiotic case out pronto!

[JessWonderin]

Reflects well on American Lawyers to see just WHO represents the "defendants" . . . no doubt a job for GONZALES!!!!

Any Court that spends more than five minutes considering this bullshit case should be fined $253 Million, a dollar for each U.S. Citizen for wasting our frickin time . . . .

Can the Dali Lama sue for the loss of Tibet or how much can I get for getting the Hong Kong Flu?

[richardgordon]

Screw the Chinese! I don't particularly like Cafferty, but I sure as hell don't want the Chinese muzzling the press. They (the Chinese) will just have to grow up and learn to live with Cafferty's opinion of them.

[browndog2]

I got Jack's back. It's his opinion. Find the clause in the Bill Of Rights that says you're protected from being offended. Chinese stifling dissent in America. Brilliant!

[jonesgen57]

Step one: check their green cards.

[OnceProudAmerican]

Step #2: Buy American when you can!

[Razz]

Step #3: And if they have a green card, but don't like our rights, go back to china, where you'll get what you deserve.

[timinhi]

What I learned in first year law school about libel/slander:

Truth is always a defense.

China's leaders ARE "thugs & goons," and a lot of their products ARE junk. Who is going to deny what happened with the poison toothpaste, the lead paint on toys, and the poison pet food?

Whatever one thinks of Cafferty--he's still entitled to his opinion.

[Bluesage]

Jack Cafferty is the most classless and uncouth man on TV and tries to pass it off as cleverness. It doesn't work and if this is what it takes to shut him up, then you go Chinese girls. This man should come with a warning.

[hillpill]

Your conception shoulda come with a condom.

[barryfilms]

That was really unnecessary. No one's asking you to always agree with your fellow bloggers (and fellow liberals, on this site), but getting nasty doesn't add to the conversation & isn't going to help us win in Nov.

[ann1]

If they think this is going to silence Jack, they'd better think again. Speaking of a lawsuit, what about all the poisonous crap we've been receiving?

[akkadian]

I'm with the Chinese on this one.
It's about time someone went after these Cafferty-L­imbaugh-Or­eilly-Hann­ity idiots who seem to think their bigoted musings are somehow, 'fair and balanced,' and somehow resemble journalism.

[HarrietandBlahBlahNyborg]

How can you say that??? It's OPINION, not journalism. Cafferty said it as part of his daily commentary. Therefore, his speech is protected by the constitution, and, ought to be accepted by rational adults. Neither you nor anyone else in this world has the legal right to NOT be offended. Sorry. That's just how it is in this world. People say things you don't agree with. Grow up.

[akkadian]

You obviously have not thought this through.
Take the same 'comments' and put them in the mouth of an Ayatollah in Iran, 'commenting' on America, and where would you be on that one?
Public discourse has unwritten rules, and describing an entire country
as filled with 'goons and thugs', pollutes that discourse and needs to be
censored.

[speakingtruth2power]

Jack Cafferty is a prime target of the right wing and so is Lou Dobbs.

Even more so are the lefties over at MSNBC like KO and Rachael M.

I'm sure that the neocon clowns are dreaming of eliminating them!!

[rovezaleeker]

I guess there's more than one way to extinguish freedom of speech.

Take that Olympic torch and shove it up your ass! GO , Jack, GO!

Go ahead and sue me, ya bunch of goons and thugs!

You wanna little lead paint with that whine?

[shag11]

While Jack has a few good things to say, he's an old evil bastard, and should be put out to pasture.

[Razz]

The Chinese primary school teacher and a beautician should be arrested and deported back to China, for trying to suppress Freedom of speech in the US. They are breaking US law.
Let them go back and practice their freedom of speech in Chain, if they have any what so ever. What a joke...

[Chuckwheat]

Yeah, put 'em on a slow boat to China for their mental tune-up.
"That old man called me a name! Maaaaaaa!!"

[dora rice]

IT'S TIME THIS MAN KEEPS HIS STUPID MOUTH SHUT FOR A WHILE. MAYBE IF HE COSTS CNN TO MUCH MONEY THEY WILL GET RID OF HIM. BLITZER NEVER LIKED HIM , BUT USES HIM AND HOPES THIS GUY WILL DIGG HIS OWN GRAVE. I HOPE SOON.

[speakingtruth2power]

Talk about a stupid mouth, better off shut!!!

[petecook5]

They must have the same lawyer as rob lowe's nanny