Atheist Behind 'Pledge' Case Drops Libel Suit
by Jim Brown
November 21, 2003
(AgapePress) - A well-known California atheist has dropped his lawsuit against a Christian news organization.Earlier this year, Michael Newdow -- the man who sued Congress to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance -- filed a lawsuit against ASSIST News Service. Newdow accused the organization of committing libel by publishing a story alleging he committed perjury when he filed his case against the Pledge. Also named in the suit were Rev. Austin Miles and WorldNetDaily.com.
But with the threat of attorney's fees looming, Newdow recently decided to dismiss the suit. Attorney Terry Thompson, who represented ASSIST News in the case, says Newdow had no case.
"If you're a public figure, in order to win in a libel case you have to prove malice," Thompson explains. "That means that the people who [publish the information] have to know it was false and published it maliciously in any event -- and he certainly couldn't meet that standard."
Thompson says the case will in no way deter ASSIST News Service from fulfilling its mission of publicizing the plight of the persecuted church. And the outcome of the case, he says, sends a significant message to those fighting for their First Amendment rights.
"People who get sued with these frivolous lawsuits or [for] anything to do with religious freedom or the life issues, there's a source where they can go for help," the attorney says. "Most of these people who get sued don't have any money and may be a religious organization or an individual."
He recommends that individuals or groups who find themselves in that situation contact the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund. Thompson likens that legal group to an "antidote to the ACLU."
