Jane Matanaer is in the big chair and Greg Bach is on the board covering for Kristin who was out for the day. A lawsuit against The Wausau Pilot and Review was dismissed in April but the small, independent paper is now dealing with mounting legal bills as the case is under appeal. GOP State Rep, Cory Tomczyk accused the paper of defamation after it reported he used a homophobic slur during a county board meeting Aug. 12th. The paper ran the story acting on a tip from a reader and with three individual sworn statements that Tomczyk did use the slur. A judge later ruled Tomczyk didn’t meet the legal standard to prove he was defamed. Now, Pilot owner Shereen Siewart says she doesn’t know how she’ll be able to pay for lawyers and her staff of 4. First Amendment experts say the case demonstrates how a single lawsuit can cripple an outlet in ways the law doesn’t intend. Todd Albaugh talks about peacock vasectomies in Florida and the Aug. 23rd RNC Presidential debate in Milwaukee.
