Lobbyist Vicki Iseman sues New York Times

Here's a report of a lawsuit by Washington D.C. lobbyist Vicki Iseman against the New York Times for $27 million. Ms. Iseman claims that Times reports gave the false impression that she was having an affair with Senator John McCain in 1999.

This is going to generate some interesting examples of double standards. The existence of tort litigation has long been a sore point with the Chamber of Commerce, conservative commentators, and self-designated experts. The Chamber's "lawsuit abuse" project is slick. Maybe they'll add this one to their "stories?" And will the court where this suit got filed join the "judicial hell hole" list?

This isn't snide rhetoric. Noted in the box below is a telling example of the double standard used by the Chamber and those who would shut the courthouse door to ordinary Americans.

So what will the critics of the civil justice system say when a media outlet they despise is sued by someone who claims to have been injured by reports of a possible romantic relationship with Senator McCain? Are we going to hear loud wailing across the land about how the civil justice system promotes "lottery lawsuits" or "jackpot justice?"

I'm expecting deafening silence from the critics. But maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised by consistency. The point, of course, is that the civil justice system exists to provide a means for ordinary citizens to call wrongdoers to account. If Ms. Iseman truly believes that The New York Times' false statements injured her, shouldn't she be entitled to her day in court? And if she is entitled to her day in court, isn't everyone else? Or would the Chamber of Commerce and American Tort Reform Association want rules that only prevent lawsuits for ordinary Americans?