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Yes, it's me! Mark Steyn of that ilk - and not dead yet, despite the best efforts of the dirty stinkin' rotten corrupt American "justice" system. For the moment, I am at liberty and thus able to conduct another midweek edition of our Clubland Q&A, taking questions from Mark Steyn Club members around the planet. The fun starts at 3pm North American Eastern Time - which, for this month only, is 7pm in London and 8pm in Western Europe, because (while it does not seem terribly vernal to me) the US has sprung into summer while most of the rest of the world remains fallen back in winter.
On today's show I'm happy to take questions on almost anything ...subject to the usual caveats. We shall not want for topics, because there's plenty out there:
[Scottish trade minister] Richard Lochhead's three-day trip to California resulted in a rather hefty expenses bill of £11,750. Responding to a freedom of information request, the Scottish government helpfully broke down how this money was spent. £8,000 plane tickets, £800 accommodation and just under £450 on extra 'travel and subsistence' costs illustrate a rather enjoyable stay. But the real zinger was the revelation that Lochhead racked up costs of £2,500 on 'chauffeur car travel'. Alright for some!
After half-a-lifetime of America's money-no-object republican virtue, I am always pleasantly reassured by the modesty of other politicians' excesses. Two-and-a-half grand for a car service in California ...and it may be enough to sink this guy's career.
~Mann vs Steyn staggers on to what our courageous and principled witness, Judith Curry, calls "Round Two". The New American reports:
On Friday, Steyn filed a stay of execution of the $1 million award, arguing that "the $1,000,000 punitive damage award is unlawful for numerous reasons"; a motion for judgment as a matter of law (JMOL); and a motion for a new trial, arguing that Mann gave false testimony during the trial, that his lawyers elicited that false testimony, and that those attorneys used "highly improper and prejudicial jury arguments."
Among other things, Mann's attorneys compared Steyn and Simberg to Donald Trump and the January 6 rioters...
STEYN: "The law states closing arguments "must not be
— Phelim McAleer (@PhelimMcAleer) March 9, 2024
used to inflame the minds and passions of the jurors so that their verdict reflects an emotional response"
~I'm also happy to take any questions on my other legal battle - against the UK state censor Ofcom over my coverage of the Covid "vaccines". The English High Court has accepted the case for judicial review, and it will be coming to the King's Bench Division on June 11th. Many listeners have asked how they can support these important free-speech cases on both sides of the Atlantic. There are several ways:
a) signing up a friend for a Steyn Club Gift Membership;
b) buying a near-and-dear one a SteynOnline gift certificate; or
c) ordering a copy of my latest book, The Prisoner of Windsor (you won't regret it, says Kathy Gyngell).
~Whether or not you're a member of The Mark Steyn Club, you can listen to our Clubland Q&A live as it happens wherever you chance to be on this turbulent earth: Club membership is required only to ask a question. We love to hear from brand new members, and among the additions to our ranks in recent days are newbies from around the globe, from Dripping Springs to Chagrin Falls, from Georgetown, Ontario to Elizabeth Park, Barbados, from Cypress, Texas to Cygnet, Tasmania. Whether you've joined this week either for a full year or a see-how-it-goes experimental quarter do shoot me a head-scratcher for today's show.
But, if you're not interested in joining, no worries, as they say in Oz: We seek no unwilling members - and as always the show is free to listen to, so we hope you'll want to tune in.