Michael Mann Files Anti-SLAPP Motion Against Mark Steyn's CounterclaimsMarch 18, 2014
by Ken White
Last month I critiqued Mark Steyn's counter-claims against Michael Mann in Mann's defamation suit, and predicted that Steyn may have subjected himself to an anti-SLAPP motion. Yesterday Steyn revealed that Mann has, indeed, filed such a motion. The
motion is here. It's colorable, at least. It makes many of the arguments one would expect when a pro se defendant counterclaims against the plaintiff for suing the defendant.
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Steyn's complaint seems to be that the anti-SLAPP statute hasn't protected him effectively even though his speech is protected by the First Amendment, that even with the statute the litigation has been lengthy and extremely expensive, and that the system is broken. I believe all those things are true. But I don't see that Steyn's approach of going pro se, railing against the court, and raising questionable claims is one that is rationally calculated to produce a better result. To me it too closely resembles the losing strategy of people who refuse to acknowledge the court's authority at all.
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Meanwhile, you can support Steyn's legal fight against Mann
here. Though I think Steyn's approach is reckless, I also think he is in the right on the free speech issue.
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