I have a lot to tell you
by Mike Stark
Fri Mar 03, 2006 at 02:44:47 PM PDT
I just sent this email out to the Wingnut Spinners:

First of all, mad props to Mick who got this all started with his call yesterday.  Since then, about 10,000 people have downloaded the clip from CallingAllWingnuts.

Secondly, Fox news security is calling Wingnut Spinners - they actually do have our phone numbers (or at least some of them).  I got an email from one who had a message left on her machine.  I called the number and took responsibility for the action.  I asked them to leave individual callers off their intimidation list - but I told them that we wouldn't stop until Bill apologized to Olberman and took down the petition.

Third, Olberman will be doing a piece on it tonight.

Congratulations to everyone.

flip for more

Mike Stark's diary :: ::
I'm sure I violated every rule in the book - and I'm fairly certain I will soon be receiving a "Cease and Desist" letter... But I told Tony Burdy, head of Fox News Security, where to read about the whole plan. He explained to me that drawing upon his experience as a retired NYC Police Detective, any time you repeatedly call somebody, it can be considered harassment. I explained that on a public show in which you are invited to call and disagree with the host, it'd take a pretty novel legal argument to prove harassment - especially since I have the audio of all the calls. Anyway... I'm not a lawyer, so I don't know where things stand. But I'm interested in knowing... so... if there are any experts out there willing to give non-official advice - tell me where I stand... well, I'd love to hear from you. stark dot m at gmail dot com

And Adigal:

Head of Fox Security called me re: phone call to O'Reilly today
by adigal
Fri Mar 03, 2006 at 02:54:22 PM PDT
Today I made a phone call to Bill O'Reilly's show; I told him I wanted to talk to him about Alito, which was the topic, but before I did that, I told him I was thankful to him for turning me on to Olbermann.  He immediately hung up on me.  At around 4PM, EST, I received a phone call from Anthony (I have his last name and phone number,) head of Fox Security, saying that I made a harassing phone call to O'Reilly today.  

adigal's diary :: ::
I got the call on the phone I used to call him; the head of Fox Security introduced himself and asked if I called Bill O'Reilly today, because I harassed Bill O'Reilly. I pleaded ignorance, and asked how many calls were made and what was said?? He said again that harassing phone calls were coming from my phone.  I asked him how many? He did not know.  I asked him what was said that was harassing? He said that he did not know what was said but that it did not have to be what was said, but how many calls were being made.  He tried to make like I made 20 phone calls instead of one, and that I cursed O'Reilly out.  All I said was that I was grateful to O'Reilly for turning me on to Olbermann.  Then he hung up.  

I called my lawyer to let him know what is up. I emailed Keith O. and let him know what happened.  

Bootjack time with O'Reilly.

Harassment, of course, is a serious crime -- when it's done by a stalker to a private individual.  But to accuse a caller into a public on-air radio show of harassment, simply because the caller says something disagreeable (but not obscene or threatening) to the highly paid host, is the HEIGHT of abusive conduct.  

Again, this is a PUBLIC, ON-AIR show, where the call-in number is widely disseminated, and everyone is invited to call in and comment.  To accuse someone who calls into such a show of being a HARASSER is defamatory.  Especially when nothing threatening or obscene is said.

The victims of these thuggish tactics ought to file a countersuit against Bill O'Reilly and Fox (is it the Fox News network, even though O'Reilly is on the Westwood One radio station?), for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Update [2006-3-3 18:44:50 by pontificator]: A third person gets a call from Fox Security for mentioning Olbermann:

Anyway, Tony Burdy from Fox New Security left me a message and I called him back. Unfortunately I was not able to tape the call. He was actually very pleasant, and told me that my phone number had come up on a list of having called Bill "numerous times". I interupted and said "Numerous times? I had to call several times to get through, but today was the first time that I ever called the Bill O'Reilly show."

He seemed surprised and said that "If that's the case than I apologize for calling you." (I heard lots of paper shuffling, and he said "I'm having one of those days, ever have one of those days, Doug?" I assured him that I had, and then he said (I paraphrase here...) Some people have called numerous times and it can rise to the level of harassment based on the number of calls, and it varies from state to state. (it "can" not that it "does"!)

I asked him why security at Fox News was handling an issue that happened over at Westwood One, the radio factor's syndicator. He didn't have much of an answer, accept to say that Bill & he work for the same company. Honestly, he really didn't sound like he wanted to be doing this at all.

Then he told me that "you're entitled to like or dislike whoever you want, you know, freedom of speech, but if it rises to the level of harassment, then they have to take it seriously." I commented that "Ol' Bill has some pretty thin skin, huh?" He didn't really answer, then I assured him that I was no threat to Bill O'Reilly.

He was pleasant enough, but truly sounded like he'd much rather be sitting in his office watching closed captioned monitors at the Fox News building, and not calling radio show callers. Can't say I blame the guy. He was nice, enough, though, and apologized again for having called me.

Any chance Olberman will be taped and posted on calling all wingnuts or Crooks & Liars? I'll be working tonight (at my 2nd job thanks to Bush's fabulous economy) and won't be able to watch the show.