Kathleen Seidel Slapped With Unconstitutional, Illegal, Barred by the Journalist’s Privilege, and Needlessly Invasive Subpoena

Update below--list of blog responses to Seidel's subpoena.  Most are better written than mine.

Update #2 -- if you would like to Digg this topic, the link is here.

Update #3--Full conflict of interest disclosure at the very bottom of the post

Update #4--Saturday April 5-- bloggers, below, and why the subpoena demands material having to do with any “religious groups (Muslim or otherwise), or individuals with religious affiliations."  In a previous episode, Kathleen Seidel wrote  Serving the Guest, "A cookbook with essays and anecdotes on the historic and contemporary role of food, eating, meals and hospitality in Sufism, the mystical tradition of Islam".  In other words, not post 9/11 hysteria, but an attempt at intimidation, pure and simple.

Update #5--Sunday April 6 -- more bloggers, and note Orac's open letter to autism activists David Kirby and Dan Olmstead at Respectful Insolence.  April 8: See the running clock, waiting for Kirby and Olmstead's response.

Update # 6 -- Monday April 7.  All of the responses I've linked are supportive of Kathleen Seidel's work.  Those who know her personally also express admiration for her character.  However, there is an element  who express disdain for her work and  who cast aspersions on her character.  I've listed those at the bottom of the post.

Update #7 -- Thursday April 10 FINALLY the national mainstream media catch on.  Wall Street Journal's James Taranto leads off "Best of the Web Today" with coverage of the Seidel subpoena.

Update #8--Sunday April 13--intro to post re-written slightly to indicate that it was the Sykes' attorney, Clifford Shoemaker, who bears the most responsibility for the repressive subpoena.
 

 Kathleen Seidel blogs and writes at Neurodiversity.com.  She has written extensively about the activities of  the Rev. Lisa Sykes and her husband Seth Sykes, who claim that thimerosal caused their son's autism and have filed a personal-injury lawsuit against vaccine manufacturers. 

The Sykes'  attorney, Clifford Shoemaker, maintains a website for his firm, in which he claims that

The evidence is now overwhelming that mercury injected into pregnant women and small infants has caused a huge epidemic of autism in this county.

In fact, the evidence is now overwhelming that there is no connection between vaccination and autism.  Anyone continuing to so claim is engaging in manufactroversy.

Mr. Shoemaker was featured in a March 24, 2008 Neurodiversity.com post, The Commerce in Causation, detailing how much money Shoemaker earns from litigating autism-vaccine-injury claims. On March 26, 2008, Seidel was served with a subpoena, issued by Shoemaker, to produce documents and records for the Sykes' suit.

Walter Olson, writing at Overlawyered and PointofLaw.com

the first phrase that occurred to me on looking through the subpoena was "fishing expedition", and the second was "intimidation". Several clauses indicate that Shoemaker is hoping to turn up evidence that Seidel has accepted support from the federal government, or from vaccine makers, which she says she hasn't. Also among the documents demanded: Seidel's correspondence with other bloggers.

Including me.  But I'm in illustrious company, if you read the subpoena (available here).  Seidel has filed a counter-motion to quash the subpoena; the attorney has two weeks to respond.

You should also read Seidel's post on the big business of vaccine litigation

Update April 4:  Positive Internet Reaction to Seidel's work and expressions of support for Seidel in the subpoena matter

April 3 responses in alphabetical order

• Autista: Rediculous (and points out the chilling effect on blogging, should the subpoena stand)
• Denialism: Autism Cranks Going After Bloggers
• Grey Matter/White Matter:
• I Call BS: When Bullies Get a Subpoena To Weild
• I Speak of Dreams: this post
  
• Instapundit: Subpoena Abuse
• Jack's News Blog: Sandy: Blogger on Autism Hit With Subpoena
• James Randi Educational Foundation Forum (JREF): discussion of subpoena
• Law Bites: Quote from Overlawyered
• Open Records: Blogger intimidation with a FOIA twist
• Overlawyered (cross posted at Point of Law Forum and Iatrogrogenic Forum): Vaccine Lawyer Subpoenas Kathleen Seidel
• Pure Pedantry: Autism Cranks Attempt To Intimidate Blogger by Subpoena
• Woman Scientist: Links to the Absurd
• You Are My Minions: Autism Awareness Fallout

April 4 2008--to 9:39 PM PDT (alphabetical order)

• Action for Autism: Shoemaker's Subpoena Is A Load of Cobblers
  
• Ars Technica: Blogger ensnared in hotly contested autism-vaccine lawsuit
  
• Asperger Square 8: Welcome to the "I am Kathleen" Scavenger Hunt
• Aspies for Freedom: Discussion Board
• Autism Street: I am Kathleen
• Axinar:  Autism-Vaccine / Neurodiversity War Getting UGLY
• Bronze Dog: Anti-Vaxxer Thuggery
• Bug Girl's Blog: Chilly Climate for Blogging?
• BuzzTracker: List of posts on issue
• Club 166: kathleen SLAPPed-- Blogs slap back
• DKMNow: Shoemaker’s Witch-Hunt: An Open Letter
• Dr. J's House Calls: The Plane!  The Plane!
• Elf M. Sternberg: Friday's Brain is Small but Inspired
• Evil Avatar: Discussion Board
• Going to the Mat: Bloggers and Legal Action
• Holford Watch: Kathleen Seidel Has Received a Subpoena: Streisand, Spartacus, Shoemaker, They Start with S and End the Same Way
• Jaded Skeptic: Autism Trouble in Law and Blogs
• Law and More: Kathleen Seidel's Blog: Influence Means You Get a Subpoena
• Law and More: Olson's Trumpet: Blogosphere Unites Behind Kathleen Seidel
• Legal Blog Watch: Blogger Subpoenaed For Influence
• Left in Alabama: Blogger Troubles: SLAPP
• Letting Off Steam: We Are All Kathleen Seidel
• Liv's Journey: Can I Play Sykes Google Hit Too?
• Meta Filter: Owner of Neurodiversity.com Subpoenaed in Autism Suit
• MythusMage Opines: Rallying the Blogosphere Again
• Natural Variation--Autism Blog: Clifford Shoemaker, What a Dick, Plus Other Views
• New York Personal Injury Law Blog: Abuse of Process: Blogger, Unrelated to Action, Hit with Subpoena
• Normal Is Overrated: All for One and One for All
• One Dad's Opinion: How to Treat A Bully
• Overlawyered: Blogosphere Reacts to Seidel Subpoena
• Perseveration.org: Quashing a Subpoena
• Pharyngula: Attempted Suppression of Seidel
• Pope Hat : Vaccine-Litigant Thuggery: Subpoenaed for Blogging
• Pooflingers Anonymous: Another Day, Another Gasket
• Reddit
• Respectful Insolence: More Legal Thuggery, this Time Against Neurodiversity.com
• Rev. BigDumbChimp: Anti-vaccination Parents Stoop to New Lows
• Rett Devil's Rants: We Are Kathleen
• The Runman: We Are Kathleen, Too
• The Skeptic Dad: Pro-Vaccine Blogger Dragged Into Court
• Strategic Thinking and Execution: reposting of Ars Technica article
• Swiftspeech!: Quash this unconstitutional, unreasonable, irrelevant, excessive, invasive, burdensome, frivolous, and clearly retaliatory subpoena
• Trusted MD (feed from I Speak of Dreams)
• The Voyage: Neurodiversity Blogger Unfairly Subpoenaed
• Whose Planet Is It Anyway?: Clifford J. Shoemaker and Lisa Sykes: Putrid Lawyering
  
• Women's Bioethics Forum: Neurodiversity blogger subpoenaed in "vaccine-autism link" lawsuit

April 5 2008 (again, in alphabetical order)

• A Life Less Ordinary?: Emotion and Irrationality Run Amok
  
• ASD: Implication by Association
• Aspie Editorial: Bloggers Rally Behind Kathleen Seidel
• Autism Speaks Community Message Board
• AutismVox: About This Autism Dilemma
• Clotted Cognition: You Gotta Fight for Your Right to Blog
• Crux of the Matter: Blogger on Autism Hit With Subpoena
• Darwin Central Discussion Board: Blogger Subpoenaed in Autism "Big Pharma" Suit
• Drums N Whistles: Lawsuits and Autism: A Back-Door Effort to Suppress Facts
• Homo Autistic: Kathleen Siedel: "Subpoenaed"
• JunkScience.com Blog: Weblog subpoenaed in escalating intimidation attempts against bloggers
• Left Brain Right Brain: Kathleen Seidel
• Legal Schnauzer: Bloggers as Targets in Litigation
• Likelihood of Confusion: Subpoenas to Bloggers
• Personal Injury News: Bloggers as Targets
• Something Awful Forums
• Stranger than You Can Imagine (Daedalus2u): I Am Kathleen
• A Voice from the Pack: Bullyboy Lawyers
• Victoria's Corner: The Mozlems Want You to Have Autistic Babies
• Wrong Planet Discussion Board

April 6 2008

• Action for Autism: Orac's Open Letter to Kirby and Olmstead
• Autism News Beat: Attorney Clifford Shoemaker v. bloggers
• Autism Street: Bloggers on the Seidel Subpoena, and Orac's Open Letter to Kirby and Olmstead
• Daylight Atheism: Legal Thuggery Against Neurodiversity.com
• Galactic Poolhall: Autism Lawsuit
• Incorrect Pleasures: This Blog Named in a Subpoena?!
• Junkfood Science:  Threats to Citizen Journalism
• Kitchen Table Math: Citizen Journalist Hit With Subpoena Intended to Intimidate
• Misbehaviour of Behaviorists Discussion Board
• Natural Variation: Conflicts of Interest Disclosure
• Respectful Insolence: Open Letter to David Kirby and Dan Olmstead on Seidel Subpoena
• Skeptico: Bullying Attorney Thug
• Storkdok-NOS: Autism Quackery Every Day
• Time Capsule: Mercury Militia Goes Too Far

April 7 2008

• Adjunct  Law Prof Blog: Autism Blogger Subpoenaed
• Arthur Allen at the Washington Independent: Subpoena the Blogger
• AthenIvanidx: In Defense of Kathleen Seidel
• AthenIvanidx: Why Defend Somebody You Don't Know?
• Autism Street: Autism, Clifford Shoemaker, and Kathleen Seidel (the video version)
• Autism Diva: video--What's it All About, Cliffie?
• Graphictruth: In the matter of Shoemaker v. Seidel; Court of public opinion; The Hon. Bugs Bunny Presiding.
• Healthblawg: Blawg Review #154
• Impfblog.de (in German--Die Risiken des Impfbloggens)
• The Joy of Autism: In Support of Kathleen Seidel and Her Work
• Neurologica: Another Attack on Free Speech and A Science Blogger
• Not Mercury  "Subpoenaed" -- the video version
• Socratic Gadfly Vaccine-injury-chasing Law Firm in an Intimidating Huff
• Skates Family 7: Larry King Live and Kathleen Seidel's Subpoena
• Stop.Think.Autism  I Am Also Kathleen--video and text
• The Voyage: Autism, Clifford Shoemaker, and Kathleen Seidel (the video version)
• Woman Scientist: Thoughts on This Absurd Subpoena

April 8, 2008

• Barely Dressed: Bloggers Unite!
• Brass and Ivory: Dr. Wes and Kathleen Seidel
• Clipmarks: Cue the Acme Anvil
• dkmnow : Kathleen Seidel and the subpoena, lolcatz version:
• Dr. Wes: Grand Rounds on Kathleen Seidel and the Subpoena
• Laurentius Rex: I am Kathleen but wer macht den schun?
• The Life that Chose Me: That's Kind of Scary
  
• A Touch of Alyricism: Just call me Barbra - The Streisand Effect
• Trusted MD--Grand Rounds Syndication
• whirledpeas (just above the beautiful water stair image)

April 9, 2008

• Andrea's Buzzing About: One in the Crowd
• Autism's Gadfly: Mercury Militia vs. Neurodiversity, an ironic war between two adversaries
• Candy: Candy Could Be Kathleen
• Crux of the Matter: On Autism, Neurodiversity, & Opinions
• ElderAbuseHelp.com: War on Bloggers Comes Home to America.  This post lists bloggers who have been subject to legal action, including Kathleen Seidel.  However, the link has crashed my browser each time I've clicked on it, so  Here's the link: http://elder-abuse-cyberray.blogspot.com/2008/04/war-on-bloggers-comes-home-to-america.html, and here it is as a TinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/5cwgq5
• Left Brain, Right Brain: Response to the Kirby-Olmsted email to Orac
• Nashua Telegraph: Dave Brooks' column: What a Web of actional links we can weave
• Natural Variation: Pleasantly Surprised by Kirby and Olmstead's email to Orac
• New Hampshire State of Mind: Autism's Dark Side
• Paotie's Green Couch I am Kathleen--A Fight Against NeoMcCarthyism
• Reunify Gally: Is any Blogger Safe? The "I Am Kathleen" Campaign

April 10, 2008

• Comm Law Blog: Cyber Slapp on Best of Web
• Instapundit (link to the WSJ article below, no comment)
• A Human Voice: Blogging Mom Subpoenaed
• Legal Satyricon: Subpoena Sleaze
• Maya's Corner: U.S. Blogger Subpoenaed for Writing Against Quackery
• Overlawyered (update, noting Dave Brooks' column)
• Slashdot Firehose: Blogger Subpoenaed For Criticizing Attorneys
• Pros and Cons: The Pros and Cons of Being A Plaintiff's Attorney
• Thiz'n'Dat: The "I am Kathleen" Freedom of Speech Campaign
• Total Drek: Two Brief Updates for the Curious
• Volokh Conspiracy: Taranto's Cyber-Slapp
• Wall Street Journal: Best of the Web Today James Taranto: Cyber-Slapp

April 11, 2008

• BlogNerds: Blogger Subpoenaed for Criticizing Trial Lawyers
• Citizen Media Law Project Blog: Blogger Kathleen Seidel Fights Subpoena Seeking Information About Vaccine Litigation
• Citizen Media Law Project: Sykes v. Seidel
• CM Law Library Blog:  Cyber-SLAPPed in the Blogosphere
• Digital Media @ Co Lab: Citizen Journalism on Trial
• Floor 9: Blogger Subpoenaed
• Free Republic Discussion Forum: Link to Wall Street Journal article
• ICA: What do You Think?
• MediaShift Idea Lab: Blogger Kathleen Seidel Fights Subpoena Seeking Information About Vaccine Litigation
• Mishka Zena: Mishka Zena Threatened With Suits; Support Kathleen Seidell
• Slashdot: Blogger Subpoenaed for Criticizing Attorneys
• Speaker's Corner at Hyde Park: Neurodiversity Weblog: Subpoenaed
• Strategic Thinking and Execution: Slashdot's Coverage of the Seidell Subpoena
• TechBlogger: rebroadcast of original Slashdot post

april 16, 2008

• La Canta Magnifico Blog: I am Kathleen and A Future Danger to Motor Sport Bloggers

Bloggers expressing disapproval of the body of Seidel's work, approval of Clifford Shoemaker's subpoena, and ad-hominem attacks on Seidel:
April 3
April 4

• Hating Autism

April 5
April 6
April 7

• Hating Autism (now with character assassination) 

Conflict of Interest Disclosure relative to the Seidel subpoena, in which my blog I Speak of Dreams is named in item #5

• I am a resident of the state of California
• My blog, I Speak of Dreams (http://lizditz.typepad.com/i_speak_of_dreams/), is named in item #5 of  the subpoena issued to Kathleen Seidel by Clifford Shoemaker, Esq.,  in Case No. 3:07-CV-660, Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division.
• I am the sole proprietor of the websites at http://lizditz.typepad.com/ , including http://lizditz.typepad.com/i_speak_of_dreams/.
• The blog I Speak of Dreams on the whole reflects my interests and enthusiasms, as well as personal notes.  It also serves as an aide-memoire for me.
• These interests and enthusiasm include issues having to do with private and public K-12 education, learning disabilities, teaching children with learning disabilities, and skeptical evaluation of claims of cures for various conditions.  From time to time, I have blogged directly and explicitly on issues pertaining to autism, the education of persons with autism, the lack of evidence for vaccination in any form being a causative agent for autism, and issues having to do with autism in the media.
• To the best of my knowledge, none of my immediate family members has autism or is affected by autism.
• The blogs at http://lizditz.typepad.com/ are not legal entities, organizations, or businesses. The blogs are my hobby, which I support out of my own income.  I do not accept funding or advertising.
• I have never received anything of monetary value from Kathleen Seidel or Neurodiversity.com.
• I have never met Kathleen Seidel in person.
• I have never spoken to  Kathleen Seidel.
• To the best of my knowledge, I have never been in the same building with Kathleen Seidel.
• I have  e-mailed, or exchanged e-mails with Kathleen Seidel approximately 10 times since 2004 (the extent of my records).
• I do own stock in various enterprises in the healthcare sector of the US economy.  To the best of my recollection, all such stocks were inherited from my parents' estate in the mid-1990s.  The collective value of such shares amounts to no more than 1.4% of my net worth.
• To the best of my knowledge, dividend income from the entire healthcare sector of my securities portfolio has accounted to less than 1% of my annual income.
• In other words, I spend more on groceries and fuel for my vehicles than I earn from my healthcare sector securities.  Big Agra and Big Oil has a much bigger influence on my finances than Big Pharma.

Comments

[IAMB]

Thanks for putting this list together... and add Bronze Dog in when you get a second, if you would be so kind.

[Kassiane]

I just added my 2cents, I was listed too.

[Joseph]

Liz: Here's a Digg link for those who'd like to vote for the story on Digg.

[jypsy]

We are Kathleen too
http://therunman.blogspot.com/2008/04/we-are-kathleen-too.html

[dkmnow]

Thanks for the list. I've linked to it, while noting in my latest post something veeeery curious about one part of the "subpoena"...

;-)

[codeman38]

I've added my own brief comments, though they're really nothing new... I'm planning on expounding more on this once I've had more time to think about it, though.

[Alan Kellogg]

Not "MythusMage" but "Mythusmage Opines". The story behind my nom de blog is long, detailed, and utterly irrelevant. Hope I've helped with my post, and that I've gotten others to post on the matter as well.

[Club 166]

Thanks for putting this together. This misuse of the law is truly unconscionable.

Joe

[Kathleen Seidel]

Liz, you're a true cataloguer -- a woman after my own heart. Thanks so much for keeping this tally, and for all of your moral support.

[Ralph Smith]

Thanks again Liz, I added a footer to this article/list.

[Carolyn Elefant]

Thank you for adding Blogwatch to this list.

[Sharon]

You were very quick off the mark with this!

I started making a list before I knew you were, and your list is so much better organised and complete! It's gratifying to see just how much support there is for one of our own on this.

[Steve D]

Hi Liz -
I would also like to be added to the list.

http://onedadsopinion.blogspot.com/2008/04/how-to-treat-bully.html

This situation is unconscionable.

[Kristina Chew]

I just put up a post that references this latest brouhaha:

http://www.autismvox.com/vaccine-awareness-from-david-kirby/

[Sandy]

I just noticed that you had included my blog. I am pleased to be supporting Kathleen.

[Liesl]

I'd like to be added!

http://clottedcognition.blogspot.com/2008/04/you-gotta-fight-for-your-right-to-blog.html

[Alan Kellogg]

Mythusmage Opines, "Pontificates" is my LiveJournal place. :)

[Karoli]

Hi Liz,

I'm glad you're staying on top of this -- I've written about it tonight and will be updating as things develop.

[ms_teacher]

This is unreal. I keep checking back for updates and cannot help but think how ludicrous it all is!

[sweetchuckd]

Check out http://detentionslip.org for all the latest headlines in education. It's one of the leading sources for breaking crazy news stories from our public schools.

[malcolm stanley]

Thanks for linking me into this.
Stay strong...

[Sandy]

Please add this voice of support:
http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/04/threats-to-squelch-citizen-journalism.html

[John Best]

Hi Liz, Please add my blog to the list. Thanks, John Best
http://hatingautism.blogspot.com/2008/04/thank-you-cliff-shoemaker-shut-up.html

[Ebonmuse]

I've posted on this story as well:

http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/04/legal-thuggery.html

[John Best]

Hi again Liz, I have another blog I'd like to add to the negative list.
http://hatingautism.blogspot.com/2008/04/kathleen-seidel-and-nambla.html
Thanks.

[Bob King]

Me too..
http://www.graphictruth.com/2008/04/in-matter-of-shoemaker-v-sidell-court.html
...in which I welcome the idea of the law firm of Dawson and Siedel...

[alyric]

One more for the list Liz

[Patti Shepard]

Hello Liz,
If you'd like, you may add whirledpeas.us to the list. (My website was also mentioned in the Subpoena.) My response to the harassment by Shoemaker has been posted there. Thank you for creating a list.
In Support of Kathleen,
Patti Shepard

[Jalestra]

You can include me in there as well (on the positive list)!

http://barelydressed.blogspot.com/2008/04/bloggers-unite.html

[andrea]

Here, too! One of the blogroll mentions:

http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2008/04/09/one-in-the-crowd/

andrea

[Andrea Shettle, MSW]

You can add this to the list:

http://reunifygally.wordpress.com/2008/04/09/is-any-blogger-safe-the-i-am-kathleen-campaign/

[Standing in Solidarity]

Another blog for the pro-Kathleen side:

http://www.paotie.com/2008/04/09/i-am-kathleen-a-fight-against-neo-mccarthyism/

[Standing in Solidarity]

Did you see this one?

http://elder-abuse-cyberray.blogspot.com/2008/04/war-on-bloggers-comes-home-to-america.html

About attacks on bloggers generally, with a special interest in Egypt (and elsewhere), but mentions the Kathleen Seidel situation among the many others.

[Ray Fernandez]

It is most unfortunate, that today we are blogging about corruption, tommorrow we might be blogging to get each other out of jail, far fetched, perhaps not! "wherein the Third District, in reversing an order awarding attorney’s fees, states “probate court has become repugnant to a great many citizens because of the perceived delay in administration and disposition of the Estate: The Guardianship of Mae Thompson FSC CASE NO. SC05-675 in which Vivian Hayes was incarcerated for five (5) months for speaking to her sister,....exemplifies the fright perceived by citizens
of this State, when the court takes extreme positions.-Florida Supreme Court.-: http://www.law.fsu.edu/library/flsupct/sc05-675/05-675ini.pdf

[Ray Fernandez]

Other Bloggers under fire! some of the biggest names in the Canadian blogosphere – from Kate McMillan of Small Dead Animals to Kathy Shaidle of Five Feet of Fury (or, Five Feet of Furry, as the lawsuit says on page 2), to Free Dominion, the largest conservative chat site in Canada. Warman’s goal is breathtaking in its chutzpah: he wants to muzzle the Canadian conservative Internet. It’s not just his goal – it’s the goal of the CHRC itself, and its friends at the Canadian Jewish Congress, who have stated their goal is to “tame” the Internet – or at least those voices they disagree with.

[Ray Fernandez]

Obviously, this fight isn’t just about a particular blogger or other. It’s about political censorship, the abuse of government power, and the freedom of the blogosphere. This will be an excellent opportunity to showcase the abusive, corrupt, bullying, censorious nature of these people who want to stiffle free speech .

I don’t even think the importance of this fight is limited to US or Canada. The creeping censorship is of the same breed as the censorship that Geert Wilders faces for his film, Fitna. It’s part of a global attempt to squelch ideas about liberty and other western values.

[Candy]

I posted a blog in support of Kathleen.

[Candy]

I posted a blog in support of Kathleen.

[Andrea Shettle, MSW]

Another one for your list, on the pro side:

http://candy.blogono.com/2008/04/09/candy-could-be-kathleen/

[laurentius-rex]

You may be interested to note that I have now added to the list of blogs referencing this issue.

[Angela Jacobs]

I am in absolute shock here!!! I found you and this story on the Elder Abuse Blog. I am looking forward to seeing how all of this pans out.
How in the world has it come to this?

[Thiz 'n' Dat]

This one has open permission to copy/paste elsewhere or to circulate with others via email. Encourages people to stand in solidarity with all bloggers whose freedom of speech is under attack, including Kathleen Seidel. Entitled thusly: "The 'I Am Kathleen' Freedom of Speech Campaign."

[Thiz 'n' Dat]

Ack. I forgot to give the URL. So sorry. Here it is:

http://thizndat.blogspot.com/2008/04/i-am-kathleen-freedom-of-speech.html

[LW]

Please add "Best of the Web Today", http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120784423414805145.html ?mod=Best+of+the+Web+Today (space added before ? so this would be readable) to your list. Also, InstaPundit linked to that article but did not comment: http://instapundit.com/archives2/017709.php.

[Thiz 'n' Dat]

A new addition for the "pro" list. I thought I had posted it here but now I don't seem to see it here:

http://thizndat.blogspot.com/2008/04/i-am-kathleen-freedom-of-speech.html

[Thiz 'n' Dat]

Another for the pro side, from a blogger who has been hit with law suits in the past in an attempt to silence her:

http://blog.deafread.com/mishkazena/2008/04/11/mishka-zena-threatened-with-lawsuits/

[LW]

Volokh Conspiracy has a comment. http://volokh.com/posts/1207879348.shtml

Also there's a description of the case here: http://www.citmedialaw.org/threats/sykes-v-seidel

[Memo Juez]

Liz,

Thanks for the comment. Here is another link to the story with some comments at StumbleUpon:

http://www.stumbleupon.com/url/neurodiversity.com/weblog/article/150

[LW]

I don't think you have this one, from the 6th:

"The mercury militia goes too far"
http://timelordphil.bigblog.com.au/post.do?id=197317

[LW]

This one too:
The pros and cons of being a plaintiffs’ attorney …
http://prosandcons.us/?p=6454

A plaintiffs' attorney who doesn't approve of Shoemaker.

[Harebell]

Add Voice from the pack in if you want to:
http://harebell.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/bullyboy-lawyers/#respond

[Alianora La Canta]

I know my blog normally has nothing to do with the autistic spectrum or American law, but http://formula1home.com/forum/weblog_entry.php?e=356>I've blogged about this crazy subpoena anyway. I can see this case having huge ramifications for bloggers in other parts of the blogosphere; what right do lawyers have to put broad-ranging subpoenas on people just because they happen to hold an opinion they don't like? Or to involve everyone on that individual's blogroll simply because they respected their writing enough to provide a link?

This isn't just a problem for writers about autism, or even just about those writing about Big Pharma. This affects anyone who blogs about any matter where the powers-that-be have an investment in one thing being said over another - which in the end means pretty much everyone.

[LW]

http://www.northwestgeorgia.com/opinion/local_story_106220504.html

Second paragraph down on the left (April 15).

edited to make the link above clickable, and to post the following (since sometimes smaller newspapers' archives disappear):

Charles Oliver: It couldn't happen here?
Dalton Daily Citizen

Kathleen Seidel is the mother of a teenager with Asperger’s syndrome, a condition related to autism. Because of that she started a Web site devoted to autism disorders called Neurodiversity.com. The Nashua Telegraph has called her site “an example of quality advocacy journalism.” Seidel is critical of the idea that vaccines cause autism. She’s not alone. Groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control say the science shows no link between vaccines and autism. But some parents of autistic children don’t accept that. Seidel recently authored and posted a lengthy article called “The Commerce in Causation” which details 22 suits against vaccine makers and notes that Virginia attorney Clifford Shoemaker has collected almost $600,000 in fees from the cases. Just hours after posting the article, Seidel was served with a subpoena from Shoemaker demanding her bank records, tax information and records of contact with a long, long list of people, including other Web site operators, government officials, scientists and “any religious group.” Some observers have described the subpoena as a fishing expedition or an attempt to intimidate Seidel. But whoever heard of a lawyer doing anything like that?

[Kenn]

Your Wish is Your Command is the latest project to come out by Kevin Trudeau. This is a 14 CD set that claims to teach anyone how to make millions of dollars and to manifest their dreams using secret Law of Attraction techniques. Your Wish Is Your Command

[Chika]

I am not an attorney but I get psuboenaed often.The way I read it...the other folks named on the document are not commanded to do anything. It does show shoddy execution on behalf of it's executor.I like shoddy execution.....it shows there are other weaknesses. Kathleen is commanded to bring any correspondence to those parties with her.L. Rex is not an American so he cannot be commanded by our courts to do anything unless the British Embassy is involved. Not gonna happ'n, cap't.Also note that many others such as Dr. Kristina Chew and Orac are not named.I have also noticed bad press about these individuals has gone into the NT circuit also.~(I am also Kathleen Seidel)