Sunday, February 19, 2012

Today's Email from Heartland to Desmogblog

Apparently this email was sent this morning (unless it also is fake). Desmogblog still has the documents up as of 3:18 pm CST.

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From: Jim Lakely
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 9:32 AM
To: 'editor@desmogblog.com'
Subject: Stolen and Faked Heartland Documents

February 18, 2012

By e-mail to: editor@desmogblog.com
By Federal Express to:

Mr. Brendan G DeMelle
Editor
DeSmog Blog
9527 13th Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98117-2303

Re:      Stolen and Faked Heartland Documents
http://www.desmogblog.com/heartland-insider-exposes-institute-s-budget-and-strategy

Dear Mr. DeMelle:

On or about February 14, 2012, your web site posted a document entitled “Confidential Memo: 2012 Heartland Climate Strategy” (the “Fake Memo”), which is fabricated and false.

On or about the same date, your web site posted certain other documents purporting to be those of The Heartland Institute (“Heartland”). Heartland has not authenticated these documents (the “Alleged Heartland Documents”).

Your site thereafter has reported repeatedly on all of these documents.

Heartland almost immediately issued a statement disclosing the foregoing information, to which your web site has posted links.

It has come to our attention that all of these documents nevertheless remain on your site and you continue to report on their contents. Please be advised as follows:

1.         The Fake Memo document is just that: fake. It was not written by anyone associated with Heartland. It does not express Heartland’s goals, plans, or tactics. It contains several obvious and gross misstatements of fact. Publication of this falsified document is improper and unlawful.

2.         As to the Alleged Heartland Documents your web site posted, we are investigating how they came to be in your possession and whether they are authentic or have been altered or fabricated. Though third parties purport to have authenticated them, no one – other than Heartland – has the ability to do so. Several of the documents say on their face that they are confidential documents and all of them were taken from Heartland by improper and fraudulent means. Publication of any and all confidential or altered documents is improper and unlawful.

3.         Furthermore, Heartland views the malicious and fraudulent manner in which the documents were obtained and/or thereafter disseminated, as well as the repeated blogs about them, as providing the basis for civil actions against those who obtained and/or disseminated them and blogged about them. Heartland fully intends to pursue all possible actionable civil remedies to the fullest extent of the law.

Therefore, we respectfully demand: (1) that you remove both the Fake Memo and the Alleged Heartland Documents from your web site; (2) that you remove from your web site all posts that refer or relate in any manner to the Fake Memo and the Alleged Heartland Documents; (3) that you remove from your web site any and all quotations from the Fake Memo and the Alleged Heartland Documents; (4) that you publish retractions on your web site of prior postings; and (5) that you remove all such documents from your server.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.


                                                                        Very truly yours,



                                                                        Maureen Martin
                                                                        General Counsel

5 comments:

Dano said...

Yup. Lawyers are part of the muddying campaign.

Best,

D

Steve Bloom said...

As a non-lawyer but one familiar with that world, what jumped out at me, and I think would be the first thing noticed by DSB's lawyer, is the lack of any case citations to back up those rather bold legal assertions. IOW this just propaganda for the media and HI supporters.

Anyway, not that there's any chance of it, but I'd just love for something like this to go to trial. Discovery and depositions would be a hoot.

Also, how many days has it been now that they've continuing to not bother confirming the authenticity of the other docs?

bigcitylib said...

http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/2012/02/19/heartland-institute-threatens-71-year-old-veteran/

Also threatened a newspaper editor. Good luck with that.

Maurizio Morabito said...

Does anybody know what exactly is at "9527 13th Avenue NW" in Seattle? A Desmog office?

Maurizio Morabito said...

Have tweeted to David Appell. That address should be taken off the 'net. And yes I have asked the same to WUWT.