Michael Savage's Lawsuit Against Islamic Group Tossed By Judge

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by conservative radio talk show host Michael Savage against an Islamic civil rights group over its use of a portion of his show in which he called the Quran a "book of hate."

Savage sued the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, for copyright infringement and racketeering lawsuit late last year, claiming the group violated his rights by using a segment of his "Savage Nation" show in a letter-writing campaign to get advertisers to boycott the program. In the broadcast used by CAIR, Savage also called the Muslim holy book "a throwback document."

In her ruling Friday, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said people who listen to a public broadcast are entitled to use excerpts for purposes of comment and criticism. She also said no evidence was presented to show that advertising on the show's broadcast was affected by CAIR's actions.

The racketeering element of the lawsuit alleged that CAIR was not a civil rights group, but a political organization with ties to terrorist groups. CAIR denies those claims, saying it opposes terrorism and religious extremism.

In an interview with The Associated Press after he filed the lawsuit in December, Savage said he was referring to Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his violent brand of Islamic extremism in the broadcast, not about the religion in general.

Savage's attorney, Daniel Horowitz, told the San Francisco Chronicle he plans to file a new racketeering suit.

Comments

[thegreatgiginthesky]

This guy, Rush and hannity should only be refered to as walking talking filth.

[ObamAtomic]

Michael who? Salvage?

[levibatgirl]

Insead of savage wiener he shall now be whining weenie.

[Big0725]

It does my heart good to see the Savage Weiner thwarted!

[Soundofthunder]

Mr. Savage should understand his program is not on the air because of free speech. It is on the air because stations receive ad money for air time during his slot. However, protesting his hateful diatribes IS protected speech, as is using excerpts of his broadcast as evidence why his show, whose existence lies in the hands of a corporation relying on income from said show, should be yanked from the air. No one has a constitutional right to a radio program. But everyone has a constitutional right to protest a radio program, radio personality or other public figures. That"s what Mr. Savage is. A public figure. If that doesn"t cast another pall of sadness over this drab and mentally lifeless epoch of humankind, I don"t what does.

SOT

[Rotwang]

I listen to Savage every night. It's like being telepathic in a nut-house.

He is the raging Id of aggrieved American screwiness. The Art Bell of McCarthyist ooga-booga.

Not bad for a half-baked nutritionist who used to go skinny-dipping with Allen Ginsburg. He should call his show "When Beatniks Go Bad."

[DoomtoNeoCons]

Why would you insult Art Bell like this?.

[levibatgirl]

Poor little weenie. : P

[DoomtoNeoCons]

Weiner Kid never gets his way!

[landoffools]

AHHH, poor Mikey Weener, and the Weener Nation !!!

[RealityBaseCamp]

I like to call his show, "The Brutal Nation, with Michael Sewage". With him in the news anyway this week, being thrown out of court too is a nice point that shows what he's about.

[Big0725]

That's a good one. The Weener Nation.

[DarkWitch]

Seems like this guy is always explaining what he "meant" to say, and everything he says that is criticized is "taken out of context".

Michael, Rush and Ann - separated at birth?

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

Yeah, but she got the biggest di ck of them all.

[TN]

Bought and paid for republican lackey.

[strandwolf]

Seems to me he's a poster child for the extreme wing of the Likud Party.

[ZimboChick]

agreed

[Durango]

Tort reform anyone?

Any Republicans out there who are opposed to frivolous lawsuits like to speak up?

Because this one, by definition, was frivolous. But somehow you don't hear any complaining from the Right Wing.

It is only law suits by poor people that need to be curbed.

P.S. Why is it that Wingnuts like Savage and O Reilly and Fox Network have such crummy lawyers?

Any second year law student should have told the fool that this was fair use. And would be thrown out as quick as Fox's suit against Al Franken.

I just hope the Judge awarded attorney fees and costs to CAIR. They deserve them.

And maybe it will be a deterrent to future frivolous suits by the Wingnut class.

[asl3676]

Frivilous lawsuits? Like Guiliani Jr. suing because Duke wont let him be on the golf team? Mayce Rudy will sue to become Mayor again or President when McCain is admitted to Leisure World.

[lexnekst]

Another bad week for conservatives? Naah, After all Rush did get a $400 million dollar deal, and I'm sure that will affect Savage-

After all, those guys believe in trickle down economics right?

LOL.

[Heavy]

I know what I'd like to see trickle down on them

[kid5rivers2]

Never ceases to amaze me how Christians refuse to follow The Christ (may he blessed forever) after whom they've named themselves. Why can't they stick by his admonition to live and let live?

[triplbee]

It's my observation that many--perhaps most---people who call themselves Christians, absolutely reject the most fundamental teachings of Christ.

[Ergon]

For the record, Michael Savage is Jewish, not Christian. See Wikipedia.

[Heavy]

Can you say hypocrites boys and girls? Sinners need to be forgiven, and told how to live. The rest of us understand morality for its own sake.

[Samnite]

Savage is but one of a well orchestrated and well financed group whose objectives are a combination of US supremacy (Corporatocracy objectives before human rights) and Israeli influence in the Middle East.

They are tenacious and will fight with whatever means and those means are plentiful; media, politicians, think tanks are just a few at the top of the pryamid.

You have any doubts, just take a little time and connect the dots..............

[sawdustinhershoes]

Unfortunately, I agree. They are the neocons and we are surrounded. They are smart and scary.

They will stop at nothing.

They are all traitors. The fools who listen to them are seeing only the picture they're meant to see.

[JScott]

Indeed. It's what Hillary was talkin about. And it started with Reagan being gov. of Calif. and prop. 13, and what did liberals do......sadly not much....while the right was out raising money, getting elected, making think tanks, developing strategy and passing laws that favored them (rules regarding media comes to mind-a big linchpin in their strategy)....libs (sad to say) were not doing same, they were asleep at the wheel........... Hope this is lesson learned.

[marmanson96]

who listen to this prson?

[sawdustinhershoes]

the same sick people who listen to Rush and Hannity and Beck. Unfortunately, the list goes on.

[confuseddemocrat]

people that burn crosses and wears sheets

[Heavy]

People who can't read