A Christian rocker is suing Rachel Maddow for $50 million, charging the MSNBC host with defamation for what he says were misleading statements she made about his views on gay rights and Sharia law. (H/T Towleroad)
Bradlee Dean, a Minnesota metal rocker, announced the lawsuit in a Tuesday press release. His suit stems from an August 2010 segment of Maddow's, in which she quoted a statement he made on his radio show:
"Muslims are calling for the execution of homosexuals in America. They themselves are upholding the laws that are even in the Bible, the Judeo-Christian God, but they seem to be more moral than the American Christians do. Because these people are livid about enforcing their laws. They know homosexuality is an abomination. If America won't enforce the laws, God will raise up a foreign enemy to do just that."
Dean charged Maddow with deliberately ignoring a disclaimer that he issued which stressed that he was not calling for gay people to be killed. He said Maddow's airing of his statement caused "serious" harm to him and the ministry he runs.
Actually, Maddow did read the disclaimer--"we have never and will never call for the execution of homosexuals"--just after airing Dean's statement.
Dean also said he is an ally of Michele Bachmann, and accused Maddow and the "left wing media" of using him to harm her presidential prospects. Even though he is filing a multi-million dollar lawsuit, Dean said that "money is not the issue."
MSNBC called the suit "baseless" in a statement.