Chicken a la Dan Caplis

Several weeks ago when Congress was debating so-called tort reform legislation (which really should be called the Corporate Immunity Act), you could tune into KHOW many an afternoon to hear the always self-impressed Dan Caplis decrying "frivolous lawsuits." 

True to the hypocrisy inherent in his right-wing ideology, we learn today that Caplis has launched his own frivolous lawsuit against Glenn Spagnuolo for publicly revealing that Caplis assaulted a "pregnant woman of color" during a 1977 mini-riot he participated in as a CU student. 

Spagnuolo says the incident is well-documented and other witnesses saw Caplis engage in what his Focus on the Family soul-mates would call child abuse (i.e. attacking an unborn child).  According to Caplis, the lawsuit is filed under seal.  However, Spagnuolo's comments about Caplis were recorded at a pro-Ward Churchill rally and played repeatedly on Peter Boyles' radio show on KHOW. 

If Caplis is truly justified in his secretive lawsuit against Spagnuolo, why is he hiding its contents?  Or, is Caplis just trying to intimidate and silence Spagnuolo through "frivolous lawsuit abuse," not unlike his on-the-air bullying of CU for failing to silence Churchill?  Funny how Caplis' CU past is returning to haunt him in his anti-Ward Churchill crusade.  Or, to paraphrase Ward Churchill, Caplis' CU chickens are coming home to roost.   

Comments

[DIAwingman]

Caplis loves the attention. Caplis seems to do whatever will keep his profile high and squeaky clean. This situation offers an opportunity to do both. Besides he can't afford to alienate his Catholic target market with allegations that he engaged in anything unchristian or unpatriotic, nor could he pass up the chance to make headlines. Remember he's the guy that made his proposal to Amy Sporer a media event - live during the Channel 4 news. GAG

[learnedhand]

"True to the hypocrisy inherent in his right-wing ideology"

huh? I'm a died in the wool Dem and I love your site but this seems to be pushing things, partisanship for partisanships sake. I would expect something like this on dailykos but I always thought this site was more or less straight down the line...

[learnedhand]

nevermind, I see now that we have a guestblogger

[Ben]

I'm not aware of the rest of the facts you presented, and I'm not a big Dan Caplis fan, but the only couple times I've ever heard him on the radio discussing tort reform he clearly disagreed with the Republicans on this plank of their platform. While Caplis tends to be right-of-center on a majority of issues, he is certainly not a flaming right-winger nor a Republican Party hack. If you're going to make strong accusations against someone, it's better to have your facts in order first. If you disagree with Caplis on some position or another, make a sound and logical argument to make your case. You aren't going to win any serious debates slopping mud all over someone.

[Ter Ducken]

This doesn't sound like anything more than a publicity stunt to me. I'll bet he drops the case a few months from now, but nobody will care by then.

[sparky]

I don't care now.

[Ter Ducken]

That made me laugh.

[Doug-E-Fresh]

Kaplis is a PI lawyer, I can't see him being in favor of tort reform.

His wife is smoking hot, BTW.

[vladimir]

little remmeber
Caplis represented Hick in a spurious law suit challenging changing the name of Mile High Field -- the Judge threw the case out and imposed over $100,000 in sanctions --
no one knows if they were paid or who paid them == we do know that the press forgot about the whole thing when Hick ran --
Caplis is a joke

[Ratchet]

Whe it comes talking *about* politics, rather than badly practicing it with inept propaganda, Rebel Dem has so far come up short. If this is the best he's got to offer, then Colorado Pols has sold itself short. Take it from this Democrat, Red Hawk has been getting better lately, but this "rebel" is dragging you down. Don't hesitate to dump this guy.

[Kenevan McConnon]

Dan Caplis is classic. He talks like he's a tough guy with tough guy experience, but the first time he gets broadsided, he runs for legal cover with a sealed suit no less. His "honor" is impugned with a 30 year old allegation, and he runs for a judge like a baby boy runs for his mommy.

Caplis has been gunning for Churchill for months, and dragged Spagnuolo into it. I personally think the nickname for Churchill, Walking Eagle, is apt. A walking eagle is so full of shit, it can't fly, but just because Caplis is gunning for an idiot doesn't mean he isn't one himself. What's Caplis' nickname? Maybe Dan "Delicate Flower" Caplis?

Caplis has vilified Churchill and Spagnuolo for months; he should grow a sack. Oh, that's right he's only a tough guy with pregnant woman. LOL

[Dave C.]

Anytime I accidentally hear Dan Caplis pontificating, two old sayings always pop into my head:

"A legend in his own mind."

And -

"A self-made man who worships his creator."

What this lawsuit against Spagnuolo really shows is that for all of Caplis's high-minded rhetoric about principle and just causes, he'll do just about anything to promote his show business career. For now, he's hitched his star to the Churchill controversy ... and he'll do whatever it takes to milk every last bit of attention for himself out of this media frenzy.

(The above is just my opinion. Don't sue me, Dan!)

[Alva Adams]

Give Rebel Dem a chance. He'll come around. And if he doesn't, we'll sell him to the Green Party.

But seriously, we try to keep a consistent theme at Colorado Pols that is hard to grasp at first, and in fairness it took Red Hawk awhile to get the hang of it, too. We want Colorado Pols to be a place for intelligent discussion about Colorado politics, but it's tempting to want to go straight for the jugular with buzz words and catchphrases.

I have no doubt that Rebel Dem will get the hang of it, just as Red Hawk did.

[Donald E. L. Johnson]

Until Dan releases his complaint or there are published responses and addition reporting by the media, I don't know what to think of this case except that two combatants are using KHOW to make their points.

To me, Dan is a religious fanatic, and he has really gone down in my estimation over the Schiavo case. He is so wrong on social issues that his sidekick almost chokes on the air.

Last week (Thursday, I think) he clearly and at least twice said that the only reason Salazar has a political career is that he's Hispanic. Otherwise, Dan said, Salazar's a lightweight who accomplished nothing extraordinary while AG and who revealed his lack of depth with his anti-Christ charge against Focus on the Family. Dan was attempting to make as big a deal of the anti-Christ charge as possible, and Silverman wasn't going along. I think Dan lowered himselve tremendously with that highly partisan comment.

Lots of broadcasters have been fired for less "racist" comments than this. Was this a "racist" comment? Will Hispanics call Dan a racist and demand his firing? Have they yet? Has he set himself up for a big fall? Why or Why not? Does anyone agree with Dan? Will you say it here and sign your real name?

[Donald E. L. Johnson]

Minor correction. Silverman did agree that Salazar had hurt himself with his anti-Christ statement, but I didn't get the feeling that he was willing to make as much of it as Dan was making. I didn't listen to the whole show, so I don't know everything that was said, but the segment that I heard was startling, to say the least. And I'm not calling Dan a "racist," I'm asking if he will be called one by the civil rights groups and his poltical opponents. Indeed, some will say he had the courage to tell it like it is, but I'm not sure many will buy that. That's my question.

[Kenevan McConnon]

Does Caplis realize that Focus on the Family considers the Roman Church a false church? Albert Mohler, one of FOF's board members, has been quoted a number of times refering to the Roman Church as a false church. In Baptist speak, Mohler is saying that Caplis and every other Catholic is going to HELL unless they come to his Jesus. Caplis should be sticking up for Salazar. FOF is an enemy of the Roman Church, and since they come in the guise of the Lord, obviously Dobson, their leader, is the antichrist.

Further, Pope Benedict is a known traditionalist who thinks anybody that isn't a Catholic is going to HELL. Reletavism is the work of the devil.

Interesting coalition, eh? I wonder how they are going to harmonize their dogma.

[Peter Fotopoulos]

Oh, please.

This is incredible bovine excreta.

1) I have never heard either Dan Caplis or Craig Silverman decrying "frivolous lawsuits," and I defy any of the posters to this blog to cite a single verifiable quote to prove otherwise.

2) If someone publicly accuses me of assaulting "...a woman of color," they better be able to prove that in court, or face the music. What is "frivolous" about Caplis' lawsuit? Either Spagnuolo, who was, what, eight years old and living in New Jersey at the time of the 1977 incident at the University Memorial Center at CU Boulder, can prove what he accuses Caplis of, or he can't.

Ball's in your court now, Glen.

This has absolutely NOTHING to do with your political belief system or left/right leanings. It has EVERYTHING to do with common law, and fact verus fiction.

Watch what happens: Spagnuolo either settles out-of-court or is handed a judgement against him.

And when that happens, I'll be here to say, "I told you so."

[jm]

I get a kick out of caplis when he lives vicariously thru his father and his neighborhood. He knows how tuff life is his dad was a cop. He grew up in Chicago. I doubt he would last one minute in Chicago. I think this radio jerk off is so full of himself and makes money at it. I want to puke when he says "my friend" with people he disagrees with. Please khow get some people with integrity.

[david miller]

Caplis is ALL the biases which he accords to others. How else could he name them? If I found myself on a deserted island with this guy I would probably join an alliance to arrange a tragic accident. He does not seem to play well w/others nor even be able to hear anything but his own Oh, so serious babble. Get over yourself Dan. I'd say you're full of it.

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