Report: Levin “Threatens To Sue Chris Matthews, MSNBC Lineup”

Huffington Post: “Levin Is Threatening To Sue Chris Matthews And Anyone Else Who He Feels Is Accusing Him Of ... Foment[ing] Political Violence.” In a January 14 item, Huffington Post reported:

Conservative radio host Mark Levin is threatening to sue Chris Matthews and anyone else who he feels is accusing him of having helped foment to political violence.

The impetus for Levin's threat was a statement Matthews made about him on his Tuesday show. Matthews had cited him and fellow right wing radio host Michael Savage as examples of incendiary media figures promoting ugly rhetoric--something that has come under scrutiny in the wake of the Arizona shootings.

[...]

In response, Levin laid down a challenge to Matthews.

“I challenge Chris Matthews, I'll put $100,000 on the table, to find any example where Sarah Palin has promoted the murder of anybody,” Levin said, though he added that calling for the killing of terrorists didn't count.

“A hundred thousand on the table if Chris Matthews can find anywhere Mark Levin has urged the murder of people who have different political viewpoints,” he said.

He then threatened to sue not only Matthews, but practically all of MSNBC's biggest hosts, if he felt they had made any allegations against him. [Huffington Post, 1/14/11]

Levin Regularly Attacks “Criminal[s],” “Morons,” And “Jerks” at Media Matters On Air

Levin Attacks “Hacks” At “Criminal Front Group” Media Matters. On the February 4, 2010, edition of his radio show, Levin called Media Matters a “criminal front group,” and said “we don't care about them because they're just hacks.” [Citadel Media, The Mark Levin Show, 2/4/10]

Levin Attacks The “Perverts” At “Hate-Machine” Media Matters. During his November 5, 2009, show, Levin attacked “the Saul Alinsky tactics of Media Matters, which is not a charitable organization, which is not a nonpartisan organization, it's a hate-machine paid for by the Democrats, and subsidized by you because they have a tax-exempt status.” He said, “I think most of the people who work at Media Matters, frankly, are perverts. Do I know this for a fact? No. But to write a story like this, I think your head's in the gutter, Eric Hanahanahanaku” (attacking Media Matters' Eric Hananoki). [Citadel Media, The Mark Levin Show, 11/5/09]

Levin Attacks “Morons” And “Jerks” At Media Matters. During the his September 9, 2009, show, Levin called President Obama a “jerk” and an “an incompetent boob,” adding, “And you morons at Media Matters, the criminal front group, make sure you write down every damn thing I say and send it all over the world. I said it here, let's hear it everywhere, you jerks.” [Citadel Media, The Mark Levin Show, 9/9/09]

Levin “Salute[s]” The “Criminal Enterprise” Media Matters For Being “Upset” At Pelosi, Sotomayor Smears. During his July 28, 2009, show, Levin said “we want to salute the criminal enterprise otherwise known as Media Matters, the Soros front group. The criminal enterprise is very upset that I called Nancy Pelosi, Nancy 'Stretch' Pelosi, with those ping pall eyes of hers -- ping ball eyes -- ready to pop out. They're also very mad that I said [Supreme Court Justice Sonia] Sotomayor -- I read the list of things that they're attacking me on, I was cracking myself up -- I said Sotomayor is Ruth Bader Ginsburg plus 50 pounds. That was a good line. Don't you think Mr. Producer? I liked it.” [Citadel Media, The Mark Levin Show, 7/28/09]

Levin Attacks Media Matters As “The Thought Police.” During his November 14, 2008, show, Levin said:

Meanwhile, Media Matters for America is a tax-exempt nonprofit, nonpartisan group, so it says under penalty of perjury. You as a citizen are free to write to the Internal Revenue Service and ask them to conduct an investigation of Media Matters. And if I'm of the mind, I will pursue this with you further, giving out addresses and so forth. Right now, I've got more important things to do. But we will fight back on this program. We're not gonna roll over for the -- for the thought police, for the anti-free speech types. We're not gonna let them just push through the censorship doctrine or anything else they try to do through the back door. We're gonna fight them, we're gonna name names, and we're gonna demand legal action and the enforcement of the law against tax-exempt groups that use, in essence, taxpayers' money to promote vile politics of the sort that Media Matters does. [Citadel Media's The Mark Levin Show, 11/13/08]

Levin: Media Matters' Brock “Obviously Flipped Out.” In 2004, Levin said:

By the way, folks, we're gonna keep an eye on all these lib organizations and who's funding them, and if they won't tell us, we will ask them. Media Matters for America [www.mediamatters].org, I'd like to know who funds them. We know George Soros is one of them. It's basically a front group for John Kerry. If you go to their website -- only attacks conservatives, only attacks Republicans. I urge you to go there and look. And they distort what people say. We're going to start our own monitoring system and we're going to monitor them. I know David Brock, who used to, who runs that group. He used to come into my office and ask me for information, which I happily gave him. Was a nice guy, and he obviously flipped out. Everybody's a liar and he's gonna monitor everybody, even though he said he was a liar. Exactly. We're going to monitor these boys and girls over there. [WABC, The Mark Levin Show, 8/17/04]

Levin's Obsession With Media Matters Extends Beyond His Radio Show

Levin: “Feminism Front Group Media Matters Also Staffed With Illiterate Clowns.” Levin wrote in a tweet: “Feminism front group Media Matters also staffed with illiterate clowns. http://bit.ly/ccNltH http://fb.me/HUEWi3yC." [Twitter, 10/17/10]

Levin: “I'm Sure The Criminal Front Group - Media Matters - Will Get Right On” Rick Sanchez Lack Of Apology To Rush. Levin wrote in a tweet: “I'm sure the Criminal front group - Media Matters - will get right on this! http://bit.ly/d5hWR9 http://fb.me/uJ8N2ROg." [Twitter, 10/7/10]

Levin Pens “Media Matters: Criminal Front Group.” Levin wrote a Facebook notetitled “Media Matters: Criminal front group,” which alleged that Media Matters is “a criminal front group. The IRS needs to audit them to determine the extent of its evasions.” [Facebook.com, 10/7/10]

Levin: “Criminal Front Group Media Matters. Useless Idiots.” Levin wrote in a tweet: “Criminal front group Media Matters. Useless idiots. http://bit.ly/a6Cjh4 http://fb.me/L9drbFgN." [Twitter, 10/6/10]

Levin: “The Bastard Who Funds The Bastards At Criminal Front Group Media Matters.” Levin wrote in a tweet: “The bastard who funds the bastards at criminal front group Media Matters http://bit.ly/aAXd7d http://fb.me/xMChWsj2/." [Twitter, 9/18/10]

Levin: “Media Matters - Mouthpiece For Tyranny. Hence, The Infinite Lies.” Levin wrote in a tweet: “Media Matters - mouthpiece for tyranny. Hence, the infinite lies.... http://fb.me/ClSfHyuE." [Twitter, 7/4/10]

Levin: “Media Matters - The Criminal Front Group That Endlessly Peddles Lies.” Levin wrote in a tweet: “Media Matters - the criminal front group that endlessly peddles lies... http://fb.me/CGRTHGBN." [Twitter, 7/28/10]

Levin: “Fecal Head Eric Boehlert.” Levin wrote a Facebook post linking to a photo of Media Matters' Eric Boehlert, stating: “Fecal head Eric Boehlert, 'senior fellow' at George Soros's hate machine Media Matters -- can you guess which one he is? No, not the one on the right.” [Facebook.com, 5/24/10]