Rush Limbaugh has threatened suit against national Democrats for defamation, stemming from a campaign email about the conservative radio host’s comments on the campus sexual assault debate.
The Daily Caller reported the news Monday, quoting a letter from Limbaugh’s legal team to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee that said the DCCC “has intentionally disseminated demonstrably false statements concerning Rush Limbaugh in a concerted effort to harm Mr. Limbaugh, and with reckless disregard for the resulting impact to small businesses across America that choose to advertise on his radio program.”
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The statement in question comes from the September 15 edition of “The Rush Limbaugh Show,” during which Limbaugh criticized Ohio State University’s affirmative consent policy. From a transcript of the program:
“Consent must be freely given, can be withdrawn at any time, and the absence of ‘no’ does not mean ‘yes.'” How many of you guys, in your own experience with women, have learned that “no” means “yes” if you know how to spot it? Let me tell you something. In this modern world, that is simply not tolerated. People aren’t even gonna try to understand that one. I mean, it used to be said it was a cliche. It used to be part of the advice young boys were given.
See, that’s what we gotta change. We have got to reprogram the way we raise men. Why do you think permission every step of the way, clearly spelling out “why”… are all of these not lawsuits just waiting to happen if even one of these steps is not taken?
In response, DCCC Chairman Steve Israel sent a fundraising email in which he wrote, “Rush Limbaugh is advocating for the tolerance of sexual assault. He should be taken off the air immediately.” The committee also pushed a petition that demanded Limbaugh’s advertisers pull their commercials from his programming:
According to The DC, Limbaugh’s legal team is weighing whether or not the DCCC could compensate the talker adequately to avoid a suit. If the matter does progress further, the team is confident that case precedent is on its side.
