Tucker Carlson and Tulsi Gabbard have been among the people raising concerns that we might get further involved in the war in Europe. That’s a legitimate concern to have, and you can hold that concern while also unequivocally condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as both Gabbard and Carlson have done.

Now, I may not agree with every position of Carlson or Gabbard, but voicing that concern about further involvement doesn’t make them Russian agents. Yet, that hasn’t stopped people on the left from attacking them.

Sen. Mitt Romney (RINO-UT) accused Gabbard of treason, and disgraced media personality Keith Olbermann out and out called her a Russian asset and implied (insanely) that both she and Carlson should be put on trial.

“They are Russian Assets and there is a war.

There’s a case for detaining them militarily. Trials are a sign of good faith and patience on the part of democracy.”

That is of course nuts.

This may stem from the crazy takes on the biolabs question that I wrote about previously.

But when Sen. Mitt Romney (RINO-UT) attacked Tulsi Gabbard for talking about biolabs in Ukraine and called her treasonous. Gabbard took him to school in response. Not only doesn’t he understand treason is a very specific, legal term that doesn’t apply and shouldn’t be thrown about lightly, but he’s jumping over the fact that yes, there are biolabs in Ukraine. That’s not a conspiracy theory; Victoria Nuland testified earlier in March that they were there, and that they were concerned about what might happen if they fell into the hands of the Russians. In response, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said that if there was any release/attack, the fault would be on Russia.

But now, Tulsi Gabbard is striking back and not taking it lying down. She’s dropped cease and desist letters from her attorney Harmeet Dhillon on both Romney and Olbermann for implying or flat out stating that she’s a Russian agent, and is threatening a defamation action if they don’t stop.

Here’s what Dhillon said to Romney:

On March 13, 2022, you tweeted the following: “Tulsi Gabbard is parroting false Russian propaganda. Her treasonous lies may well cost lives.” Your tweet had no surrounding context and was not part of a broader conversation. Your accusation that Representative Gabbard, a combat veteran and current military officer, has engaged in “treasonous” activity is completely false, a fact of which you were well aware when you made your claim. And as explained below, your accusation that Representative Gabbard lied also has no basis in fact. [….]

Whether your tweet’s baseless accusations stemmed from Representative Gabbard’s March 13, 2022, video or have some other unknown genesis, they were malicious and could not be further from the truth. Representative Gabbard is loyal to the United States and its interests. Further, any suggestion that she supports Russia’s actions in Ukraine is unmoored from reality. Representative Gabbard has unequivocally condemned Vladimir Putin for this brutal attack on Ukraine. She has personally visited Ukraine and has great love, empathy, and sympathy for both the nation and its people.
While Representative Gabbard believes that free speech is a cornerstone of American democracy, your accusation of treason is far outside of the bounds of free speech and civility. It is defamation.

YOUR LEGAL LIABILITY

As a result of your actions described above, you are liable to Representative Gabbard for the tort of defamation per se.

Dhillon also warned Olbermann that his remarks were defamation as well.

The cease and desist is the warning, and if they don’t agree to stop, then expect the action to proceed.

Great move by Gabbard. Both Romney and Olbermann need to be held accountable for such defamatory action — and maybe that will give them second thoughts about spreading such lies in the future.