Saturday, July 19, 2008

Doty vs. Molnar

For obvious reasons, I won't go into much detail here, but it's worth noting that I had to give a deposition on Friday in Russ Doty's ongoing libel case against Brad Molnar. Doty, Molnar's lawyer and a court reporter all showed up at the office on Friday afternoon.

Doty, who is representing himself, alleges that Molnar maliciously made false statements about Doty in their 2004 campaign. He also claims, interestingly, that Molnar is in breach of contract for violating the clean campaign pledge he had taken in the campaign.

So what does that have to do with The Outpost? Some of you will recall that before his run for the Public Service Commission, Molnar wrote columns for the Outpost, sold some ads and delivered papers every week. So part of the deposition had to do with how he may have obtained information about Doty.

Another part had to do with items that appeared -- or didn't appear -- in the pages of The Outpost. Some of it had to do with articles I wrote about their race, although I am not sure why. Part also related to this post about a letter I declined to print.

All in all, an unsettling experience. I have covered a few depositions, but I can't say that I liked being the subject of one.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Molna is a lunatic.

Anonymous said...

Thank you again David for taking 45 minutes from your busy day to clarify some issues at the deposition and for whatever other time you spent preparing to obtain the information requested in the deposition subpoena.
And anonymous, during the 2004 campaign I refrained from the kind of name calling that Mr. Molnar engaged in against me and am continuing to do so. I would appreciate your doing me the favor of eliminating the name calling from your posts as well? Thanks. Russ Doty

James said...

Denver Doty is a sore loser plain and simple.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like Molnar is being harrassed to me - I hope he files a complaint with the Montana Bar Association.

Anonymous said...

Aw, come on, "James." You make all kinds of promises on your blog, but then post nothing so far but links to another blog and solicitations for readers to send in their own libelous contributiuons. You don't sound like a sore loser. You sound like a loser.

Anonymous said...

Ironic that Molnar filed a complaint with the commissioner of political practices back in 2004 charging that Russ Doty was really not a Montana resident. Down the road the commish determined that Doty was, indeed, a Montana resident and was entitled to run for the PSC. Doty was smeared and is still being smeared by that baseless accusation. I won't hold my breath waiting for Molnar or his minions to express shame. They are without any. So it goes.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ed - I agree that the blog of 'James' is pretty spartan, but it does look like Doty lost badly in the last election and simply can't get over it. Face it, he drives to Montana, checks into a hotel, and runs for PSC as a resident. The Commissioner doesn't penalize him in the end, but then again, the commissioner never penalizes anybody. So why continue harrassing Brad? Because Doty's feelings are hurt that he got out campaigned and out-debated?

Anonymous said...

and goes. Ccobs is nothing if not redundant.

Unknown said...

This whole site is preposterous. Just answer the questions:

Is Mr. Molnar currently under investigation by the Montana Attorney General's Office for illegally soliciting "brown-out" brochures while campaigning for his reelection?

Did Mr. Molnar tell a member of the PUC commission to "shut-up" at the meeting discussing his infractions of the law?

Has Mr. Molnar used his position for personal gain?

The facts speak for themselves.

It is true that Mr. Molnar is under investigation by the Montana Attorney General's Office for using these brochures for reelection purposes. Although Mr. Molnar claims he gave back funds that were given to him to print these brochures, where is the accounting of paying those funds back? Mr. Molnar also did not pay the funds back until he was already exposed for his wrong doing and breaking campaign laws. If no one would have reported this, would he have paid any funds back at all?

Is it true that Mr. Molnar needs to take an anger management class so that his temper does not get the best of him? Reading the stories about Mr. Molnar prove that he has a nasty temper if things don't go his way? I find his behavior juvenile and I think he needs to learn when to keep his mouth shut and what the laws of campaigning are. Telling a fellow PUC Commission Member to "shut-up" is so disrespectful and shows Mr. Molnar's mentality.

Is this really the person you want deciding your plight in Montana as far as utilities are concerned?

It appears as if his agenda is self serving and not with the constituents in which he claims to represent.

Grow up Mr. Molnar and do us all a favor . . . follow the law just like the rest of us do on a daily basis. You have been exposed for your wrong doing . . . if you had not broken the law, then you would not be being investigated. The truth speaks for itself . . so suck it up and acknowledge what you have done wrong.