Maine Web Report Hit With Multi-Million Dollar Federal Lawsuit

Media Bloggers Association: MBA Member Hit With Multi-Million Dollar Federal Lawsuit:

Lance Dutson who blogs at Maine Web Report was recently served with a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Maine. The lawsuit alleges copyright infringement and defamation for reporting and commentary written and published by Dutson on his blog.

"This case is nothing more than an attempt by a deep-pocketed litigant to bully a blogger for criticizing state officials and state contractors"", said MBA President Robert Cox. "We have successfully defended MBA members in nine previous cases and I don't expect the outcome here to be be any different."

Dutson went public this morning with news of the lawsuit and provided key links here including his account of the events leading up to the lawsuit and the complaint served on Dutson by the local sheriff at his home in Maine. Dutson has vowed to fight.

"The idea that criticism of the state government can be defamatory is absurd", said Dutson, "This attempt to bludgeon critics of the state government is not going to work."

Please follow the jump to learn more about what Lance Dutson is facing and about MBA's efforts to defend him.

As Jeff Javis says much is at stake here:

Without fear of the support bloggers can muster, the rich and powerful will try to use their money and the courts to harass citizen journalists.

Mind you, this case is not just about journalism but also citizenry: We must always have the right and even duty to watch and question our government.

We've seen it already here at Philly Future. It will take groups like MBA to provide solutions to help protect free speech and the right to speak truth to power.

Please join us in getting the word out about the lawsuit.