Doug Wilson is one of the most controversial and impactful figures in reformed theology alive today. He has no shortage of critics. While many are within the bounds of orthodoxy, his loudest online critics are a liberal group called Examining Moscow. Doug Wilson has had enough and has threatened them with a defamation lawsuit in a cease and desist letter. There are four main defamations cited in the letter. Most are related to Logos School.
The first count, so to speak, involves falsely accusing a student of Logos School of sexual assault over incidental contact in a basketball game. Even if their characterization of the event were true, they would not amount to sexual assault.
All footage of the interactions to which you refer shows that your accounts are false. High-resolution footage of one skirmish shows, at most, a fraction of a second of contact between the alleged assailant and another player.27 The other interaction—during which the Logos player is alleged to have “grabb[ed]” his opponent “by the crotch and then lift[ed] him with a closed hand”— similarly involved only passing contact.28 In fact, even the specific footage on which that claim was based29 shows that player pulling his arm free from his opponent. The conduct you label assaultive is no more invasive or less incidental than is routine in high-school, college, and professional basketball. 30 Moreover, your posts clearly and repeatedly accuse the player of committing a crime. You cite specific criminal statutes you allege the student violated, and you invite parents and others to contact attorneys specializing in sexual assault.31 In addition to being false and highly damaging, your posts are thus actionably defamatory.32
The second allegation involves an inappropriate student-teacher relationship regarding Logos School.
The teacher who abused Ms. Dye was fired from Logos and removed as a Christ Church elder within days of the discovery of an unprofessional online message. When, two years after the fact, Pastor Wilson and Logos learned for the first time that the relationship between the student and teacher may have involved illegal contact, it was Pastor Wilson himself who reported it to law enforcement. And even then, Ms. Dye categorically denied any potentially illegal contact to police.
This count bears a striking similarity to Paige Patterson and the reason he was removed from SWBTS, in that Wilson reported it to the police and is still being accused of covering up sex abuse.
Thirdly, Wilson strikes back at the notion that he and his wife have inappropriately asked about student’s sexual behavior.
Neither Pastor Wilson nor Mrs. Wilson has ever sought to learn “graphic detail” of the sexual relationships of “teen lovers” or anyone else. Any questions either of them has asked in such contexts have been aimed at discrete and legitimate goals. For example, it is necessary to determine whether a minor who has engaged in sexual interactions was ever forced to do anything against her will or had a sexual encounter with an adult. This can include the extent of sexual conduct, such as the details of touching and sexual penetration, which are predicates to certain crimes subject to mandatory reporting. For these purposes, asking uncomfortable questions is the only way to determine what must be done to protect victims. Had Pastor Wilson failed to ask these difficult questions to determine whether sexual misconduct had occurred, you surely would use that failure as additional support for your (false) claim that Pastor Wilson ignores and downplays sexual assaults.
The last count has is Doug Wilson denying he supports rape, as he’s accused of doing by Examining Moscow.
It’s worth noting that Doug Wilson’s counts of defamation focus on the more salacious accusations made against him and his ministries. The basketball accusation occurred recently which is likely the bridge too far for Wilson’s tolerance. So now, the longstanding accusations against Wilson are being contested as well. It’s worth mentioning that Examining Moscow operates anonymously, something that Wilson is unphased by.
You refuse to attach your own names to your propaganda. But your anonymity will not protect you forever. You have implored “victims” to contact you for “legal recommendations,”17 apparently without realizing that civil or criminal legal proceedings involving Examining Doug Wilson would subject all of you and your coconspirators to unmasking (not to mention potential liability). It would take very little effort for a litigant to subpoena X, Meta, Google, GoDaddy, and any other host to retrieve your real names, IP addresses, and contact information.18 And, because Examining Doug Wilson is not incorporated and is not a limited-liability entity, each of your authors and administrators is individually, fully liable for all of the site’s content.19
In fact, Doug Wilson correctly points out individual liability which makes his threat of litigation more serious.
Examining Moscow has responded to this be teasing a crowdfunding campaign and bringing on notorious liberal Boz Tchividjian for their legal defense. Apparently, he’s interested.
This is a no-win situation for Examining Moscow as their ability to fund and win this potential lawsuit is dubious, at best.
