{"id":3219,"date":"2008-06-09T10:24:58","date_gmt":"2008-06-09T17:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/?p=3219"},"modified":"2008-06-09T10:26:15","modified_gmt":"2008-06-09T17:26:15","slug":"support-the-vlad-zablotskyy-legal-defense-fund-a-real-estate-weblogger-is-being-throttled-by-corporate-bully-eperkscom-the-free-speech-rights-you-will-be-fighting-for-are-your-own","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/3219\/support-the-vlad-zablotskyy-legal-defense-fund-a-real-estate-weblogger-is-being-throttled-by-corporate-bully-eperkscom-the-free-speech-rights-you-will-be-fighting-for-are-your-own\/","title":{"rendered":"Support\u00a0the Vlad Zablotskyy Legal Defense Fund: A real estate weblogger is being throttled by corporate bully ePerks.com. The free speech rights you will be fighting for are your own<\/em>…"},"content":{"rendered":"

Update:<\/strong> It seems likely that Vlad’s cost to defend himself from this specious claim (if you read the complaint, you will discover that the alleged offense is entirely absent from Exhibit A)<\/a> is going to start with a $5,000 retainer. It seems unlikely to me that the matter will go to court, but, if it does, things will get really<\/em> expensive. If you haven’t done so already, click on the “Donate” button. You’re not defending Vlad, you’re defending yourself.<\/em><\/p>\n

 
The months’ long persecution of real estate weblogger Vlad Zablotskyy by ePerks.com’s Ben Behrouzi<\/a> came to a head today. Behrouzi has served Zablotskyy with a lawsuit claiming that a post on Zablotskyy’s weblog caused Behrouzi to suffer “harm and damage.”<\/p>\n

Behrouzi also claims that Zablotskyy has exposed him to “hatred, contempt, ridicule and disdain.” The petition itself is a bad joke, but it is beyond all doubt that that Behrouzi has exposed himself<\/em> to “hatred, contempt, ridicule and disdain” by the months of ludicrous posturing he and his attorney have engaged in<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At some point the full petition will be available for us to read. [Amending this: You can read the complaint on Vlad’s weblog<\/a>.]<\/strong> In the mean time, Vlad Zablotskyy needs your help. The lawsuit was filed in California, but Vlad lives in New Jersey. He will have to fight a lawsuit seeking compensatory and punitive damages by remote control, paying law firms in both states. The suit itself is a complete joke — a Personal Injury law firm with a drive-up window comes to mind — but it will still cost serious money to defend.<\/p>\n

I’ve set up a Vlad Zablotskyy Legal Defense Fund through our PayPal account — and I’m about to put the bite on you in two ways.<\/p>\n

First, click on one of the “Donate” buttons you see in this post or on our sidebar and give as much as you can. I know that many Realtors and lenders are hurting for money right now, but there is no better cause for you to fight for than your own<\/em> right to speak and write as you choose. If you happen to be Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Update: It seems likely that Vlad’s cost to defend himself from this specious claim (if you read the complaint, you will discover that the alleged offense is entirely absent from Exhibit A) is going to start with a $5,000 retainer. It seems unlikely to me that the matter will go to court, but, if it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,62,24,29,5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3219","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"hentry","6":"category-blogging","7":"category-dirty-laundry","8":"category-egoism-in-action","9":"category-group-therapy","10":"category-real-estate","12":"no-featured-image"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3215,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/3215\/is-eperkscoms-ben-behrouzi-infamous-for-trying-to-censor-a-real-estate-weblogger-stealing-content-from-mervyns-and-chevron\/","url_meta":{"origin":3219,"position":0},"title":"Is ePerks.com’s Ben Behrouzi, infamous for trying to censor a real estate weblogger, stealing content from Mervyns and Chevron?","author":"Greg Swann","date":"June 7, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"At his new web site, BrokerScience.com, Trace Richardson is on a tear. Trace got his teeth into the story of ePerks.com's attempts to silence real estate weblogger Vlad Zablotskyy with a cease and desist letter. Starting with an analysis of how ePerks has managed to achieve an orderly self-destruction, Trace\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blogging"","block_context":{"text":"Blogging","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/blogging\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2798,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/2798\/memo-to-eperkscom-you-idiots-shooting-yourself-in-the-foot-in-public-is-a-poor-way-to-defend-your-reputation-such-as-it-is\/","url_meta":{"origin":3219,"position":1},"title":"Memo to ePerks.com: You idiots! Trying to censor a real estate weblogger is a poor way to defend your reputation — such as it is…","author":"Greg Swann","date":"May 21, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"[I'm kicking this back up to the top. At the time I wrote this, I thought it might be enough to make the jackasses at ePerks.com come to their senses. Apparently not. If you are a real estate weblogger, and if you don't want some sleazoid attorney pulling these stunts\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blogging"","block_context":{"text":"Blogging","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/blogging\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.paypal.com\/en_US\/i\/scr\/pixel.gif?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3236,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/3236\/dont-hang-vlad-zablotskyy-out-to-dry-making-a-donation-to-his-legal-defense-fund-is-what-matters-most-right-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":3219,"position":2},"title":"Don’t hang Vlad Zablotskyy out to dry: Making a donation to his legal defense fund is what matters most right now","author":"Greg Swann","date":"June 14, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Here's what doesn't matter:ePerks.com and its sleazy attorney are trying to slime the webloggers who have come to Vlad Zablotskyy's defense -- but it doesn't matter. Andy Beard and others are trying to push this story viral in the world outside the RE.net -- but that's ultimately beside the point.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blogging"","block_context":{"text":"Blogging","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/blogging\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.paypal.com\/en_US\/i\/scr\/pixel.gif?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6445,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/6445\/a-premium-appeal-for-vlad-zablotskyy-if-youll-give-200-to-his-defense-fund-well-give-you-a-set-of-bloodhoundblog-unchained-dvds\/","url_meta":{"origin":3219,"position":3},"title":"A premium appeal for Vlad Zablotskyy: If you’ll give $200 to his defense fund, we’ll give you a set of BloodhoundBlog Unchained DVDs","author":"Greg Swann","date":"January 3, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the biggest stories we followed in 2008 was Vlad Zablotskyy's legal battle with ePerks.com. The fight ended in a settlement, about which it were better for me to say nothing, but it suffices to say that ePerks has filed for bankruptcy. Working together, we raised a ton of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Egoism in Action"","block_context":{"text":"Egoism in Action","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/egoism-in-action\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.paypal.com\/en_US\/i\/scr\/pixel.gif?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4345,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/4345\/once-more-unto-the-breach-for-vlad-and-for-your-right-to-free-speech\/","url_meta":{"origin":3219,"position":4},"title":"Once more unto the breach for Vlad — and for your right to free speech","author":"Greg Swann","date":"September 10, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"The good news is that Vlad Zablotskyy is nearing the end of his legal battles with ePerks.com. As you will recall, ePerks sued Vlad to try to compel him to squelch criticism of the lead vendor. That bad news is that Vlad has had to take a night job to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blogging"","block_context":{"text":"Blogging","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/blogging\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.paypal.com\/en_US\/i\/scr\/pixel.gif?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3412,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/3412\/bearing-the-sacred-mantle-of-insolence-in-the-parliament-of-whores-win-a-free-set-of-bloodhoundblog-unchained-dvds-in-the-just-exactly-how-dumb-are-you-realtor-scam-of-the-week-contest\/","url_meta":{"origin":3219,"position":5},"title":"Bearing the sacred mantle of insolence in the Parliament of Whores: Win one of two free sets of BloodhoundBlog Unchained DVDs in “The just-exactly-how-dumb-are-you Realtor-scam of the week” contest!","author":"Greg Swann","date":"July 21, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Q: What's the difference between cows and Realtors? A: When they get the urge to be milked, cows don't fly to trade shows at their own expense, wandering from booth to booth with their udders out.Well. I certainly feel vindicated. The RSSPieces clusterfrolic is further proof of the advice I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blogging"","block_context":{"text":"Blogging","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/blogging\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3219"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3219\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}