Scud stud launches another law suit

Former broadcaster Arthur Kent is suing Canwest Publishing and journalist Don Martin for defamation.

According to a Globe and Mail report, Kent, also a Tory candidate in the last Alberta election, is suing over an article that appeared in the National Post and the Calgary Herald in February 2008. The article was headlined “Scud Stud Lands With a Thud” and ” ‘Scud Stud’ a Dud in Alberta Election” It was published less than three weeks before the provincial election date.

Kent alleges the article injures his “character, credibility and reputation and have brought upon him contempt, odium and scandal.”

In a post about the case on his personal blog , Kent wrote:

“The article is inaccurate, biased and damaging. In the context of a heated election campaign, it is nothing less than political vandalism. The article had a devastating effect on my campaign, particularly with regard to fundraising. The by-line reads “Don Martin.” After the article was published, I notified the Herald that I would file a rebuttal. I did so March 9th, six days after the election. The Herald refused to publish it. So did the National Post, which had published the Martin article in its online edition on February 12th, and the next day in print”

He concludes:

“The newspaper keeps faith with readers by presenting information that is accurate, fair, comprehensive, interesting and timely. It should acknowledge its mistakes promptly and conspicuously. Sound practice clearly distinguishes among news reports, expressions of opinion, and materials produced for and by advertisers. With our case, we’re going to remind the Herald and CanWest of those basic codes of journalistic ethics. And we’ll follow the evidence wherever it leads.”

Kent recently reached a settlement in a lawsuit he had brought against Universal studios over the studio’s use of his voice and video footage in the Hollywood movie Charlie Wilson’s War.