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

[SmolderingRuin]

Hello, Chinese people. Your wretched government sucks. So sue me.

[dora rice]

I RESPECT EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD. EVEN MY FOE. I MIGHT BOMB THE HELL OUT OF THEM IF THEY HURT ME, BUT I RESPECT THEM AND HOPE THEY RESPECT ME AND MY COUNTRY.

[radiojunkie]

what don't you understand about freedom of speech and take your caps lock off

[speakingtruth2power]

Easy to be proud,
easy to be cruel - -

[Citizenofreality]

I notice no respect whatsoever in your past attempts to paint Senator Obama as someone of foreign descent. I don't think you respect anyone dora.

[raker]

Only 3.5 billion? Why not sue for a hundred zillion squillion? If a guy on TV hurt my feelings by pointing out that the country of my ancestors' origin were putting poison in our food, toiletries and medicines and that they ought not do that, I'd sue for a 100 bazillion dollars. Make that euros.

[Razz]

This is so ridiculous. So every time the Arabs insult us, we should sue them for billions? Man, we wouldn’t have any trade deficit. I think CNN should counter sue those two women for frivolous lawsuit and trying to suppress freedom of speech. This is not
China, you know!

[legalclubs]

Notice that the individuals suing are a beautician and "school instructor". I'm sure neither one has a cent to their name and hence they are judgment proof as there is no way for CNN to collect their attorney's fees and costs when they prevail against these two for filing such a frivilous suit. The more interesting question would be to find out who is backing these two...the Chinese Government perhaps?? Closing down dissent in their own country apparently isn't enough anymore, do they now want to stiffle their oppositions' free speach rights in the United States by making it known to all that any critism will result in expensive litigation? Also, the U.S. government (maybe the next administration) needs to step in here regarding any suit in China against CNN where China will simply seize CNN's assets in China to pay the judgement. Make it clear that any such action would result in a seizure of Chinse held assets in the United States to offset CNN's loss. If China wants to play hardball, the U.S. should respond accordingly.

[Razz]

Great point. I like it and I agree with you.

[instagladiator]

I would suggest you do an inventory of just what China owns in the US before taking sides.

[tdeg]

Sorry China but we're actually allowed to call your country's actions thug-like without getting arrested.

[anythinggoes]

ask the money from clintons since they are china whore to sold out USA

[CheshireCat2]

Meh, then again it is not as bad as Rev. Wright had to say about American White People. But, I am just speaking as "a typical white person."

[UrsaMajority]

Hey, Cheshire, if Mike Huckabee can find a way to let it go, maybe you can move on too to something that's a little more ... relevant? I'll forgive Hillary's supporter embracing Louis Farrahkan and McCain embracing Rev. Hagee if you let this one go, okay?

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

Hey, thanks for the offer. I plan to keep this reminder of how Obama views people like me until election day and beyond. OK? Until then Praise the Lord and pass the Ammo!

[pleeezzze]

Ursa ...I'd say what you seem to be missing is that Hunkyboy probably carrys on with as much RANTING as Wright, just not the same subjects1

None of it should have a place in Church, unless it's a Cult ,then ,anything goes ,Huh !

[wilhelmR]

Maybe, just maybe you deserve his comments just by seeing the way you write it seems you are very bitter about the world...or do you know what "the rest of the world" means? Maybe you don't even like yourself.

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

Satire, ever heard of it?

[bfraser55]

as another "typical white person" I find you and the medias use of Rev Wright a little shameless. You sound like Twitty (Mathews) who bring it up over & over & over Til adnauseum. Let it go. There are more important things to worry & talk about. Give it a BREAK

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

AS another "typical white person," perhaps we should ask Obama to define what that is for all of us to know. I would like to know how my future president views me since he will be representing me.

[brend]

Now if they sue CNN china they may have a case.

[CheshireCat2]

I still don't know what he did wrong. Sounds to me like he pretty much told the truth. I bought a chair made in China. You know the kind you have to screw together yourself and the frickin holes were drilled in backwards. I would call that junk. Lead paint, I would call that poison. Rigid is about the only tool you can buy anymore that is made in America and it is a great quality product.

Anyone who listens to Cafferty knows he can be a bit brash and over the top.

[brend]

Sorry they can't win. Might as well go home.

[JohnJames]

Before the Chinese squack like little children they should consider the atrocities they have committed against the Tibetans. It exceeds anything Jack Cafferty has done by just a teeny tiny bit.

[CFAmick]

China should be sued for insulting the Chinese people, as their oppression of Tibet makes them all look bad.

[GerryS]

does that line of reasoning extend to the USA and Bushco?

[pugla46]

EXCUSE ME!?
Just 3 years ago, a General in the Chinese Army threatened us (several of our cities) TWICE with nuclear missiles if we should so much as aim our weapons toward them during our defense of Taiwan. They never apologized for that.

And hey! The Chinese DO ship junk to us, and it IS poisonous.
I say "Let's counter-sue the two delusional Chinese citizens for $14,000,000,000.00 (14b) for causing family pets to die, for poisoning our children, and for endangering our safety."

Here, here!

[bikerdude]

If you keep pissing the Chinese off and they decide to call in their notes, the demise of America will fall on your shoulders instead of Generalissimo Bush...

[wm1066]

This is a "Rove" style attack. They want to take some of the heat off of thier abuse in Tibet by trying to fill the airwaves with something that is patently stupid. Thier argument will be shot down, and in the process tort laws will also suffer.
They have also been trying to shut down a retail store in China (Carrfor, not sure on the spelling ) to punish the French, but that could backfire on the chinese. The French are really pissed about the Chinese riots. This has not been a good year for the China (outside of Bush selling America out to the Chinese). They have been stumbling badly.

[Menocu]

Was this an editorial? Is it possible to sue someone for their opinion if they "don't represent the opinion of CNN"?

I guess we can expect more of this, what with the US being so gravely indebted to China. We've become their "bitch".

[memoryaid]

I don't agree with his statements.

But the fact that they're suing him in the US is a sad thing.

For one, the trigger-happy lawsuit epidemic is one of the worse things that have happened to this country. But we put up with it because dismissing cases out of hand would result in a closed legal system - sort of like China's.

If anybody said what Jack said in China, they'd be sentenced without a real trial. But getting beaten up by the police or having your property taken away with no recourse is dismissed out of hand.

But the worse things is that ridiculous stuff like this makes news at all. I'm certain that we'd see a lot less of this ridiculous behavior if we just ignored it. This is a sad ploy for publicity, but everybody loses.

[DrBlizzardo]

Actually, the lawsuit is a GOOD thing. I don't give a fig about Cafferty or his comments, and the way CNN is going (Beck! Snow! Yuck!), the sooner they crash, the better. However if cable news can be held accountable for its content by legal means, then we have a stick to beat the Faux News monster with.

And that's a good thing.

[brend]

They cannot a news company in the United States, they may as well burn the filings.

[Counterglow]

Cafferty is one of very few commentators or newsdrones on CNN who isn't a complete ass. He knows news, he doesn't kiss butt and he calls it as he sees it without fear or favour.

No wonder the Chinese are suing. They've never really understood that "freedom of speech" thing. Or that "freedom" thing, for that matter. CNN should be ashamed of itself for apologizing for doing what they're supposed to do: tell the goddamned truth.