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

[lisakaz2]

So, he talks trash about this group and he sues them??? Huh??? Unbelievable, as if they don't have a right to run him out of business.

[neesy08]

first time i have ever heard his name. i do not listen to talk radio

[nexus1961]

Savage is SUCH a pinhead that Jonah Goldberg's inanities look plausable, compared.

[MajorKong]

Savage exists mainly to make Limbaugh and Hannity sound "reasonable" by comparison.

[Susej]

Savage: (definitions)
1. Not domesticated or cultivated; wild
2. Not civilized; barbaric
3. Ferocious; fierce
4. Vicious or merciless; brutal
5. Lacking polish or manners; rude.

Oh boy! talk about foreordained name.

[buddhistMonkey]

He chose it himself. His real last name is Weiner (talking about foreordained names).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Savage_%28commentator%29

[AERO]

He gives all weiners a bad name.

[Exit]

Michael Savage is such a nobody. He is just a hateful old man talking about people he hates every day. That is good radio?

[HansMoleman]

Can 10 million listeners each week be wrong?

Apparently, yes. And getting stupider with every word that comes out of his mouth.

[lexnekst]

Exactly. I can't believed someone asked if 10million ppl can be wrong....I­t depends-

How many millions if idiots watch amerfican idol & flavor of love-

Didnt about 50 million idiots vote for W- nuff said.

Rhetorical questions work best when everyone agrees, there is one obvious answer.

[TroubleNYC]

Guess this is one way free speech can bite you in the ass.

[Ramirez]

This is the sort of litigation where you wish both parties could lose.

[noamjunior]

only if you hate free speech

[Ramirez]

Actually I like free speech a lot. I just can't stand either Michael Savage or CAIR. I wish this litigation had gone on for years and bankrupted both sides.

[Destin]

I guess Michael "Brain" Damage still hasn't learned to keep his fat mouth shut? Kinda funny, he's mad that people use his own words against him. I guess a suggestion Mr. Damage, trying finding your brain before you find your mouth. ;)

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

An even better solution would be for Michael WeinerSavage to shut his hateful ignorant mouth.

[Destin]

I guess you are right, that would be a better option for him to take. Thanks for the correction. :)

[tkondaks]

For anyone who loves freedom, the defeat of the Savage lawsuit is a cause for celebration.
Savage hookwinked us all by telling us that this lawsuit was a cause for free speech. Yeah, it was about free speech but it was CAIR's free speech that was being infringed, not Savage's. Indeed, if Savage had prevailed, first amendment rights would have lessened for all of us.
America is such a great country that we even extend free speech to questionable organisations like CAIR.
Michael Savage is an ENEMY of free speech:
http://tinyurl.com/27ladx

[wizardofoz]

hey savage I hope this is costing you lots of cash for this,you stupid excuse for a man.

[mamacat]

It probably is coming out of his advertising budget.

[thefringecenter]

Wiener is having a bad week.

[robiform]

To the Council on American Islamic Relations: Congratulations on getting this ridiculous lawsuit thrown out. Or, dare I say, "Mazel tov"? It's really too bad (NOT!!) about the bad week Savage has been having--first, he loses sponsors, and now this idiotic lawsuit gets dismissed. Couln't happen to a more deserving person!

[LudwigVan]

I'm going to say something Islamic here, so here goes: alhamdu lillah.

Stay tuned though, Savage is going to sue Doug Flutie next.

[macintoshsauce]

Watch out! The government goons are going to be paying you a visit for speaking like that. :)

[guajiro]

You DO know AT&T, Verizon, and the other telcomms are electronically listening in on you RIGHT NOW don't you? 10 to 1 that the next time you take a commercial flight you'll be on the "terrorist watch list".

[brendanm]

Can't Savage be sued for inciting violence against Muslims, homosexuals, Media Matters, that boy down the street who looked at him funny, etc., basically everyone he has gone on insane and violent rants about? The only time I'm aware of him explicitly calling for violence was when he called on his dead brother "in heaven" to get God to strike down his enemies (those whiny parents of autistic children and the like). In any case, it would be a decent response to his nuisance lawsuit and could draw attention to his hate speech and be used to pressure advertisers.

[Budokan]

Aww, what's the matter, wittle Savage Weiner, you not get what you want? Your life as a nasty, self-hating Repug is finally catching up with you. Good riddance.

[JamesRiddle]

I live in the Bay Area, Savage's home base. I have listened to him on occasion out of curiosity. I have heard this guy say things so shocking and vile I could not beleive he was on the public airwaves. He saves his most inflammatory rhetoric for gays. I have been around a long time. And I'm a cynic more or less. Though not naive, I am stunned that this cretin has not been yanked off the radio. I am really surprised that a boycott of the advertisers has never happened. Can't figure it out.