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Jack Thompson Sends Subpoena to Bush

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Fri Sep 07, 2007 03:30 PM
from the oddly-this-used-in-his-defense-of-mental-instability dept.
Government It's funny. Laugh. Politics
Ariastis writes "Jack Thompson has filed documents with a federal court in Florida requesting to subpoena President George W. Bush for a deposition to retain Thompson's license to practice law. Ah, and Jeb Bush too, for good measure."
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[+] Your Rights Online: Take Two Files Suit Against Jack Thompson 99 comments
Bullied writes "Take Two has tired of Jack Thompson's frivolous lawsuits and has filed a federal lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida to prevent him from filing any more 'nuisance' lawsuits. 'Take Two argues that the lawsuits violate its First Amendment rights to free expression, but it also claims that the suits are so vague as to be unconstitutional. "This unconstitutional vagueness will have a chilling effect on Plaintiff as well as Plaintiff's customers," says the company. "Plaintiff's distributors likely will respond to the uncertainty and fear of penalties by withholding Plaintiff's video games from the public."' Take Two also cites the disruptive effect Thompson's suits have on its retail partners."
[+] Games: Jack Thompson Responds to Take Two Suit 131 comments
interactive_civilian writes "Jack Thompson has personally replied to ArsTechnica regarding their coverage of the lawsuit from TakeTwo. Really, it's best for Jack to speak for himself: 'I have been praying, literally, that Take-Two and its lawyers would do something so stupid, so arrogant, so dumb, even dumber than what they have to date done, that such a misstep would enable me to destroy Take-Two. With the filing of this SLAPP lawsuit last week, my prayers are finally answered. This lawsuit, filed in US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, is, without a doubt, the single dumbest thing I have ever seen any lawyers do in my thirty years of practicing law--while in continuous good standing to do so with The Florida Bar, I might add, the shock radio and video game industry's efforts notwithstanding.'"
[+] Games: Kotaku Games Blog Sued By Jack Thompson 126 comments
Reacting to Kotaku's coverage of comments Thompson made last week about the VA Tech incident, Thompson has sued Kotaku and their parent company Gawker media. He also tried to sic the FBI on them (getting as much success there as he did with the Penny Arcade gents). From GamePolitics' coverage: "Thompson's ire was apparently raised by Kotaku reader comments which the attorney maintains are threatening. He also alleges in the complaint that Kotaku and Gawker declined to remove the menacing posts. The messages in question stem from Kotaku's coverage of Thompson's claims that video games prompted last week's Virginia Tech massacre. The Gawker suit is actually an amendment to an action Thompson filed on March 13th against the Florida bar. On April 11th he amended it to include the members of the Florida Supreme Court. And now Gawker joins the list of defendants."
[+] Games: Jack Thompson Sues Microsoft 574 comments
An anonymous reader writes to mention that Jack Thompson, in his latest bout of zealotry, has set his sights on Microsoft for their recent release of Halo 3. GameAlmighty has posted the letter to Bill Gates. "Here's the deal, Mr. Gates: Either Microsoft undertakes dramatic, real steps, through its marketing, wholesale, and retail operations to assure that Halo 3 is not sold, via the Internet and in stores, directly to anyone under 17, or I shall proceed to make sure that Microsoft is held to that standard by appropriate legal means. I have done that before successfully as to Best Buy, and I shall do so again as to Microsoft and all retailers of Halo 3."
Submission: Jack Thompson send subpoena to W. Bush by Ariastis (797888)
[+] Your Rights Online: Jack Thompson Includes Gay Porn With Court Filing 333 comments
An anonymous reader writes "Jack Thompson has done it again, now by making available gay porn for unlimited viewing on public records. Judge Jordan wrote on an issued order: 'The attached exhibit, which includes several graphic images of oral and genital sex between adult males, was filed electronically in the docket in this case, without prior permission from the court... To the extent that the other attorney's alleged conduct is in any way relevant... there was no need for Mr. Thompson to file these graphic images in the public record. A simple reference to the website and its alleged links would have sufficed...'" I'm usually not a fan of giving Thompson continued free publicity, but some of the things he does are just too outlandish not to share.
[+] Games: Thompson Sues ESRB, Best Buy 134 comments
Well known anti-gaming lawyer Jack Thompson is following up on his clever sting operations against Best Buy. He's filed suit against the consumer electronics retailer for allegedly selling M-rated games to underage gamers. He has also included the ESRB in that suit. GamePolitics reports: "As we reported, the claim against Best Buy suit looks as if it will be going nowhere. Thompson has also apparently named the ESRB in the suit. That looks like a non-starter as well. His explanation: 'The ESRB has been sued by Thompson because it is well known that it a) is owned and operated by the video game industry, b) does not even play the games it rates to conclusion, c) routinely mislabels games as to age appropriateness, per testimony before the U.S. Congress, and is engaged in representations to American parents that the age label are accurate and are keeping "Mature" games out of the hands of kids.'"
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Jack Thompson Sends Subpoena to Bush 50 Comments More /

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  • I'm torn (Score:5, Funny)

    by Trigun (685027) <`evil' `at' `evilempire.ath.cx'> on Friday September 07 2007, @03:32PM (#20513663)
    Is the enemy of my enemy my friend, or is he still an asshole?

  • Rotaderp .sv Neila (Score:5, Funny)

    by Tackhead (54550) on Friday September 07 2007, @03:32PM (#20513675)
    It's sorta like Alien vs. Predator, but backwards. Whoever loses, we win.

  • wow - Bush AND Thompson in the same story (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 07 2007, @03:33PM (#20513705)
    I bet you Slashbots are just foaming at the mouth.
  • jack thompson: greatest troll who ever lived

  • good luck with that (Score:3, Interesting)

    by hguorbray (967940) on Friday September 07 2007, @03:34PM (#20513727)
    Considering that not even congress can get Bush, Rumsfield, Cheny et al to respond to subpoenas -or even off the record chats ire the Plame affair, the attorney firings etc (maybe they can get Gonzales now that he has stepped down) I don't think he's got a prayer.

    And when he loses his license he can blame Bush -just like everyone else

    -I'm just sayin'

  • The Time Is Approaching (Score:5, Insightful)

    by MightyMartian (840721) on Friday September 07 2007, @03:34PM (#20513729) Journal
    The time is approaching when someone is going to have to put this guy in the nut house. I hope all those self-serving pandering politicians who like to align themselves with Thompson against the invented evils of video games start seriously considering the kind of delusional maniac they've decided is their ally.

  • Who's next (Score:3, Funny)

    by DesertBlade (741219) on Friday September 07 2007, @03:34PM (#20513731)
    CowboyNeal!

  • Subpoena as evidence? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by R2.0 (532027) on Friday September 07 2007, @03:37PM (#20513777)
    Ok, now that I've trolled in another post, I'm wondering if the folks trying to get him kicked out of the Bar could enter the subpoena ITSELF as evidence of JT's unfitness to practice law.

    • Re:Subpoena as evidence? (Score:5, Interesting)

      by MightyMartian (840721) on Friday September 07 2007, @03:40PM (#20513829) Journal

      Ok, now that I've trolled in another post, I'm wondering if the folks trying to get him kicked out of the Bar could enter the subpoena ITSELF as evidence of JT's unfitness to practice law.


      I don't know if it can be directly referenced or not. Is it necessary? The guy's record speaks for itself. This delicious piece of irony is just icing on the cake.

      I'm more concerned about his fitness to walk down the street. I really do think Thompson is completely out of his mind. I think what's needed after the disbarment is a 30 day psychiatric review in a closed facility. Maybe there's some meds they can give him.

      • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

        by Darby (84953)
        .Maybe there's some meds they can give him.

        KCN perhaps?

        • It makes me wonder, though (Score:4, Interesting)

          by Moraelin (679338) on Friday September 07 2007, @05:43PM (#20515391) Journal
          It makes me wonder, though. Schizophrenia quite often starts mild, debatably sane, and progresses over time to padded-room calibre. Just because at some point you might look like just a bit eccentric or slightly bizarre or a bit of a bad case of cognitive dissonance, doesn't mean that 17 years later you can't be diagnosed with proper schizophrenia.

          And this guy's delusions started from half-way between mildly annoying and mildly funny, and progressed to outright bizarre. I can't diagnose him anyway, but it makes me, you know, wonder. Maybe a second examination would find it a bit worse than the one almost 2 decades ago? It's a possibility.

          Plus, to the best of my knowledge, a lot (most?) doctors tend to prefer to err on the conservative side, especially when it would bury someone's career. If slapping a "yup, he's schizophrenic" label on him would terminate his right to act as a lawyer, even temporarily, they'll give him a lot of benefit of the doubt. He'd pretty much have to be at the raving lunatic stage to get that. It's just a different standard. Even if you'd consider giving him neuroleptics in a private consultation, you'd have to be convinced that he's to deranged to do his job to actually slap that on his dossier.

          Plus, in that kind of context, I figure it's hard to diagnose anyway. Noone will start telling you about the voices in his head, when he's sent there to determine whether he's fit to keep working and doing his crusade. Being insane carries a major stigma. So unless they're deranged past the point of hiding it, a lot of people _will_ try to hide it, if you just send them to a psychiatrist. They might admit stuff to their therapist if it was their idea to go there, and it's going to be kept secret. But not to the guy who has to determine whether they're fit to keep their job, and whose conclusion will probably be public record.

          What I'm trying to say is that it's entirely possible that he just slipped through the cracks the first time. (_If_ he's indeed nuts.) There's no telling if he'd still pass after all this time.

  • sounds to me (Score:5, Funny)

    by to_kallon (778547) on Friday September 07 2007, @03:38PM (#20513785)
    Jack is currently suing the mediator, Judge Dava Tunis, along with the Florida Supreme Court and the Florida Bar.

    like he's a lawyer, alright...

      • Re:sounds to me (Score:5, Informative)

        by forkazoo (138186) <wrosecrans@NoSpaM.gmail.com> on Friday September 07 2007, @05:26PM (#20515207) Homepage

        Suing the person that's meant to be mediating the dispute is taking things a little far, even for him... If he keeps suing the judges and courts, who's going to finally judge the case, and where? If you want to use the legal system to your advantage, you can't sue it... I would have thought a lawyer would realise that.


        AFAIR, this won't be Jack' first time filing against a judge in one of his cases. Whenever he doesn't like a judge, he has convinced himself that suing the judge will result in a conflict of interest, and force the judge to recuse himself, allowing him to arbitrarily judge-shop until he finds somebody he thinks will kow-tow to his bullshit for fear of being sued.

        Unfortunately for Jack, there is no clear precedent requiring a judge to recuse himself if he gets sued by someone involved in a case he is judging. Naturally, this is because such a precedent would enable exactly what Jack wants. IIRC, the last judge he sued didn't recuse himself because of being sued, but eventually did recuse himself because there was a conflict of interest arising from the fact that the judge was filing a formal complaint about Jack being an asshat.

  • At least.. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by CokeJunky (51666) on Friday September 07 2007, @03:56PM (#20514057)
    he can claim that gaming has driven at least one person to raving lunacy... Himself! (at least in my personal opinion.)

  • One good send deserves another (Score:5, Funny)

    by NJVil (154697) on Friday September 07 2007, @04:08PM (#20514241)
    George Bush sends Jack Thompson to Guantanamo

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Jarjarthejedi (996957)
      I wonder how many /.ers, who are against Guantanamo on average, would feel about that. I'm sure there would be some mixed feelings.

      • No excuse for torture. (Score:4, Insightful)

        by Txiasaeia (581598) on Friday September 07 2007, @06:54PM (#20516045)
        There's no excuse for one human being to torture another. There's no reason to joke about it, either. Jack should be stripped of his ability to practice law in the United States, but being an obnoxious and pedantic lawyer isn't a reason to deprive him of his basic human rights and inflict pain on him. In fact, there's no reason why torture should be acceptable in the 21st century world.

        Human Rights Watch [hrw.org]

  • Perfect lesson in english usage (Score:5, Funny)

    by swordgeek (112599) on Friday September 07 2007, @04:34PM (#20514555) Journal
    Someone asked me the other day about the difference between psychotic and psychopathic. Here it is laid out nicely.

    The psychotic Jack Thompson is sending a subpoena to the psychopathic George Bush.

  • It's clear who Bush needs to defend him... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Runefox (905204) on Friday September 07 2007, @04:42PM (#20514675) Homepage
    Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney!

  • Duck Hunt (Score:5, Funny)

    by wiredlogic (135348) on Friday September 07 2007, @04:48PM (#20514767)
    Jack better watch out. Some of out government officials have already been trained on violent video games. I hear Cheney is pretty good at Duck Hunt.

    • Re:Prepare for cranial explosions! (Score:5, Funny)

      by mconeone (765767) on Friday September 07 2007, @03:35PM (#20513745)
      My guess is that it's to prove that if Bush can be completely incompetent and misguided as President, then Thompson has the right to do so as a lawyer.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by RingDev (879105)
      I'll never forget the stories a good friend of mine used to tell about his job as a vet tech for the Henry Villas Zoo, specifically the monkey house. To quote...

      "When in doubt, throw poo"

      -Rick

      • Re:Prepare for cranial explosions! (Score:4, Informative)

        by Mattintosh (758112) on Friday September 07 2007, @03:49PM (#20513965)
        Bar associations are not courts. They're unions for lawyers. You can sue unions. You can sue bar associations.
        • Try again, this time understanding something about the structure of the court system in Florida. The Florida Bar is an agent of the Supreme Court of Florida:

          Article V, Section 15 of the Constitution of the State of Florida gives the Supreme Court of Florida exclusive and ultimate authority to regulate the admission of persons to the practice of law and the discipline of those persons who are admitted to practice. The Court performs those official functions through two separate arms: the Florida Board of Bar Examiners , which screens, tests and certifies candidates for admission to the practice; and The Florida Bar, the investigative and prosecutorial authority in the lawyer regulatory process. Neither of these two agencies, nor any of their functions, is supported by state tax dollars
          (source [floridabar.org])


    • Re:WORST ... SLASHDOT ... STORY ... EVER (Score:5, Insightful)

      by MightyMartian (840721) on Friday September 07 2007, @03:50PM (#20513981) Journal
      Get off your high horse. Jack Thompson is of interest around here, because of his links to the anti-gaming lobby. It's Friday, it's a hilarious story, and we're all enjoying it. You know who Thompson is, if you have been around for a while. That's like asking "Which Bill Gates? How should I know?"

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by coug_ (63333)
      Just because you don't know the name Jack Thompson, doesn't mean that most geeks/nerds don't immediately know who he is. You'll also note that this story is tagged as "humor" not as "gaming", so to be perfectly honest, it could be *any* lunatic lawyer that's issued a subpoena for the President in defense for the deposition of his license to practice law. The fact that it's Jack Thompson just makes it better for those of us who know who he is (which, I'm sorry, I would bet that there are more of us who do th

    • Re:WORST ... SLASHDOT ... STORY ... EVER (Score:5, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 07 2007, @03:56PM (#20514071)
      You must be new here.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Chris Burke (6130)
      "News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters." Anyone else remember when that was "News for Nerds ON THE Stuff that Matters?"

      No, I don't remember that, and I remember the first day when Chips N' Dips was dead and Slashdot was live. Was it really different? Because I really don't remember it having "on the" in there, which really reduces the punchiness of the tag line and really I doubt would make any difference regarding the content. As if they said "whew, now that we got rid of 'on the' we can start posting irre

    • Re:WORST ... SLASHDOT ... STORY ... EVER (Score:5, Interesting)

      by eln (21727) * on Friday September 07 2007, @04:03PM (#20514185) Homepage
      That's a really nice rant, and I agree with you somewhat in your general assertion that Slashdot has drifted pretty far away from being a nerd site (WTF is up with the Politics section, for example). However, I have some issues:

      1.) I haven't been around quite as long as you have, but I don't recall the slogan ever being "News for Nerds on the Stuff that Matters". That may have been the original intent, but I don't think that was ever the actual slogan. The oldest page from Slashdot I could find on web.archive.org is from November, 1998 [archive.org], which was prior to the Andover.net buyout (thereby presumably before the major corporate influence began). On that page, the slogan is "News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters."

      Now, I grant you, prior to maybe 5 or 6 years ago, the "stuff that matters FOR NERDS" was sort of implied, but that hasn't really been the case for a long, long time.

      2.) Jack Thompson has been going after the gaming industry for a long time. Seeing his long, slow descent into madness is of great interest to gaming nerds, even if not to you particularly. Even if you decide that the site should be limited only to things that the typical nerd would care about (not your decision or mine to make), this still would fit that category.

      So, even though I agree with you that Slashdot in general has strayed pretty far from its roots (but what site this old hasn't), I disagree with you about this particular story.

            • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

              by eln (21727) *
              I'm with you on the editors (remember how kdawson would put almost everything into the Enlightenment category?), and the overall quality of the site over time. I pretty much agree with your other points as well.

              On another note, something that may only be funny to me:

              I was browsing your comment history briefly, and noticed that the VERY FIRST comment that Slashdot shows you having posted is from January 1999, and is complaining about the QUALITY OF AN ARTICLE ON SLASHDOT! That is just hilariously awesome.

              T [slashdot.org]

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