Gawker Seeks Probe of Thiel’s Relationship with Hogan’s Lawyer
wsj.com
wsj.com
They've already declared bankruptcy and lost their case. I'm not quite sure why where the sources of funding from the people who are suing them are relevant.
Because there are legal and ethical restrictions on third parties paying for your legal representation.
When a third party pays for somebody's legal fees there needs to be an understanding that the third party is not in control of the legal team they're paying for. That's because what the third party wants may not necessarily by in the client's best interests.
I am not saying that applies in this case - I'm just pointing out why courts can and do find it on occasion relevant to ask who is funding a case and whether if it is a third party they have made the appropriate arrangements.
But in this particular situation, that sort of due diligence makes sense.
If you'll forgive me for a horribly mixed metaphor, this seems like a hail mary pass late in the fourth quarter. I don't think Gawker has much of a chance in any other way, so they're just throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks.
It may be ironically the case that Denton is receiving financial support and that what they are accusing Thiel of doing, they are actually in the process of doing. That would be right out of his playbook.
It's been suspected for ages that Gawker and Salon were a front for some kind of political organization in Washington which focuses its attention in Silicon Valley. A PR pre-emptive strike force if you like. It would explain something about their selectivity in their choice of targets. Mysterious money moving in mysterious ways. Take a look at Salon's wikipedia page, and then google for information on Gawker's profit and loss accounts. I can't believe they never got hit by the IRS, which potentially signifies the pull that political organization has.