Ann Coulter Update: TIme is Running Out

My lawyers and I will determine later this week whether we have received sufficient pledges to pursue a libel and slander case against Ann Coulter for her statement, first issued verbally at the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) meeting in Washington on February 10, where she falsely said that I had submitted cartoons to Iran's anti-Holocaust cartoon contest, a claim that she repeated in her nationally syndicated column on February 15.

I have not entered, nor do I intend to enter, this contest.

Coulter and her fellow conservatives frequently use this tactic. Rather than express an opinion ("The Iran cartoon contest is just the sort of thing you'd expect Ted Rall to enter!") they up the ante to actual libel and slander by saying that it's actually true. It's a vile, illegal tactic--but unless someone challenges it in court, it will continue to be deployed against patriotic liberals, Democrats and political progressives of all stripes. After all, these are the same people who smeared war hero Max Cleland as a coward. And it works--mainly because Democrats don't fight back.

I am willing to wage this fight. Unfortunately, at this point I am increasingly pessimistic that I will be able to raise sufficient funds to sue Coulter. Current pledges total $7,871, which is far short of the mid-five-figures needed to pursue a libel and slander case all the way to trial. I will NOT start a fight I cannot fight to the finish.

Unless pledges pick up dramatically in the days ahead, Coulter will get off the hook--again.