John Steele, Silent In Court, Keeps Talking To The Press; Says New Lawsuits Are Being Filed

from the oh-really-now? dept

Wed, May 8th 2013 12:54pm — Mike Masnick

We had noted that Team Prenda (under new names) appeared to still be up to their old tricks, filing lawsuits and trying to get names to shake down with settlement demands. And you might have thought that with the big Judge Otis Wright ruling against them they might settle down. But, no, John Steele insists that Livewire Holdings -- the main shell company at the center of the fight -- is still filing new cases.

In an extended interview with AVN news, Steele goes even further than his earlier comments promising an appeal and complaining about Judge Wright:

“The hearing regarding me in March was 12 minutes long and there was no evidence or testimony admitted. I have never had any ownership interest in AF Holdings, Ingenuity13, or Prenda Law and no evidence otherwise was ever presented. I am not an attorney in this matter, and have never practiced law in California. In fact the first time I heard of this case was when Mr. Gibbs told me he got an Order to Show Cause in February 2013 regarding this case.”

He continued, “I would also comment that the attorneys representing myself, Paul Hansmeier, Paul Duffy, and the others were not allowed to make argument nor were we allowed to present witnesses. And normally with orders regarding sanctions, the Court will point to evidence, testimony, or something to explain the sanction. In this order, there is nothing.”

Again, this is pretty funny on multiple levels. The claim that he didn't even know about the case until February is almost laughable, especially considering that Gibbs noted that he took regular instruction on this very case from Steele. Furthermore, it's well known that Steele reads the various anti-copyright trolling blogs regularly -- and they've been following this case for quite some time. As for the claim that they "were not allowed to make argument," again, that's not true. Their lawyer told the Judge that they were pleading the fifth.

In another interview, with the LA Times (where the reporter appears to have spelled about half the participants' names wrong), Steele gamely predicts that "There's going to be a lot of egg on people's faces" after his appeal. We'll see about that.

But... back to the AVN story. Steele goes back to attacking the opposing lawyer, Morgan Pietz, Judge Otis Wright and (of course) the EFF. He then claims (incorrectly, mind you) that copyright holders are "winning the vast majority" of these kinds of trolling copyright cases. He's pretending that this is still about copyright trolling, not massive fraud on the court for which he's almost certainly about to be investigated by federal prosecutors for possible racketeering charges and tax evasion, because a federal judge has suggested that both areas need to be investigated. His only response to all of that is to say that the Illinois State Bar investigated him already and was okay with his actions. We'll see about that as well.

But the really amazing part is that, after insisting that he has nothing to do with these lawsuits, he tells AVN that Livewire Holdings, the master shell corporation involved in all of these shenanigans, is filing new cases this week:

For his part, Steele told AVN that it is his understanding that Livewire Holdings, one of the entities identified by Judge Wright—by way of an actual Prenda relationship chart included in the order—as being a member of the Prenda family, “is filing multiple new cases this week."

“Hopefully,” he added defiantly, “the pirate that got away in this matter will be caught and brought to justice down the road.”

I've said it before, but Steele really reminds me of people I've known who think they're a hell of a lot smarter than they really are. They think (1) that they've discovered a brilliant loophole that no one else could possibly figure out and (2) that they can talk their way out of anything. In Steele's case, each time he opens his mouth, it's likely he's digging himself a slightly deeper hole. He's hired expensive lawyers. You'd think they'd tell him to shut up already, because he's doing his own case a lot more harm than good. Of course, if it's true that Livewire is still filing new cases, after a federal judge has called them out on this behavior (and ordered his ruling be given to every court involved in any litigation involving Livewire and all of Team Prenda), that may come back to haunt him even more.

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Filed Under: 5th amendment, appeals, john steele, otis wright
Companies: prenda, prenda law

31 Comments

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Rikuo (profile), 8 May 2013 @ 12:15pm

So tell me Steele...how do you know that Livewire is planning to file new cases? You're not a part of Prenda (according to you). Where did you get this information?
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fogbugzd (profile), 8 May 2013 @ 12:26pm

They have to file now. There is a good chance that in the near future at least one of the investigations will suspend their licenses or limit their ability to file copyright suits in bulk. There is also the possibility that the courts will start enforcing rules that would make it more expensive to abuse the system.

These guys are living in a dangerous area. They probably feel that going for broke immediately is their best option.
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- DannyB (profile), 8 May 2013 @ 1:55pm
  
  Re:
  > There is also the possibility that the courts will start enforcing
  > rules that would make it more expensive to abuse the system.
  
  The court filing fee raised to the power of the number of IP addresses involved?
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fogbugzd (profile), 8 May 2013 @ 12:30pm

They have to file now. There is a good chance that in the near future at least one of the investigations will suspend their licenses or limit their ability to file copyright suits in bulk. There is also the possibility that the courts will start enforcing rules that would make it more expensive to abuse the system.

These guys are living in a dangerous area. They probably feel that going for broke immediately is their best option.
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- Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 9 May 2013 @ 6:59am
  
  Re:
  These guys are living in a dangerous area.
  
  You might say that Steele and Livewire are playing with...
  high voltage.
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S. T. Stone, 8 May 2013 @ 1:03pm

I would like to quote anime character Super Milk-Chan at this time.

*ahem*

�YOU DUMBASS!�
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Jessie (profile), 8 May 2013 @ 1:15pm

Hmm
I can see them talking now: If we file a bunch of cases now, Judge Wright can't tell on us to those judges because the order said "pending cases." These weren't pending at the time.
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- DannyB (profile), 8 May 2013 @ 1:58pm
  
  Re: Hmm
  They can't be dumb enough to believe that judge Wright can't send notices to other courts where new lawsuits are filed, even if not covered by any order.
  
  Also at some point they could be declared vexatious litigants and be put on a restricted filers list that requires them to first obtain permission from the court before filing any lawsuit.
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out_of_the_blue, 8 May 2013 @ 1:17pm

I think John Steele might be special. "Farting in the tub and laughing your ass off special."
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- DannyB (profile), 8 May 2013 @ 1:59pm
  
  Re:
  Do you aspire to one day be that kind of special?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - out_of_the_blue, 8 May 2013 @ 2:16pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Hey, he's not the real blue. I'M the real blue! You should be able to easily tell that!
    
    But you are right. I'm afraid John Steele represents the kind of person that I'm doomed to become. Or at least I hope so. He's so cool and suave, while I'm way too loud, so he's a really tough act to follow.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - out_of_the_blue, 8 May 2013 @ 6:21pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      No no no, I'm blue and you owe for violating my common law trademark.
      
      "Loopy Poopy Mike's penis 'garbblegarggle'"
      [1D-10-T] 3:46 P.M. 08/09/1946
      
      See time stamps^
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  - Anonymous Coward, 8 May 2013 @ 6:46pm
    
    Re: Re:
    None of these are out_of_the_lube; the real one does a lot more gnashing of the teeth that a copyright enforcer was caught redhanded.
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slopoke, 8 May 2013 @ 1:24pm

1st Rule of Holes
Steele definitely needs to learn this one.

If you find yourself in one: Stop digging!
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- DannyB (profile), 8 May 2013 @ 2:00pm
  
  Re: 1st Rule of Holes
  I thought the rule was: when you're an a hole, stop digging.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2013 @ 7:49am
    
    Re: Re: 1st Rule of Holes
    Unless your name is Carreon...
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 11 May 2013 @ 5:48am
      
      Re: Re: Re: 1st Rule of Holes
      ...in which case, you can Carreon digging.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
cc, 8 May 2013 @ 1:24pm

I would like to know where the name "Alan Cooper" came from if not for Steele's hired hand in Minnesota??? Oh, and about a thousand other questions...
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- Anonymous Coward, 8 May 2013 @ 2:01pm
  
  Re:
  For your answer, would you prefer fiction or fantasy?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 8 May 2013 @ 1:46pm

Judge Otis Wright apparently needs to lay more smackdown.
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jameshogg (profile), 8 May 2013 @ 2:19pm

The Devil Wears Prenda.
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Lurker Keith, 8 May 2013 @ 2:30pm

new math required?
I think Steele has gone past the point where simple multipliers oh how many times he's doubling down on his position works. I think we're going to have to start using a logarithmic scale.
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raul, 8 May 2013 @ 3:09pm

I'm pretty sure Steel's reference to the "pirate that got way with it" is a threat that he is going to go after Pietz's client again. As incredible as that may sound, Steele has demonstrated a vindictiveness that is well beyond the norm.
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LVDave (profile), 8 May 2013 @ 5:12pm

When you lie...
See, when most everything out of your mouth is a lie, you really really have to be VERY careful and have a VERY good memory to remember WHO you told what, and WHEN you told them. If you can't do this, then you're gonna be exposed as a liar. Looks like this is Mr Steel's problem...
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anon299,999, 8 May 2013 @ 5:55pm

they can talk their way out of anything
these type of people are called sociopaths:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Inside-the-Mind-of-a-Sociopath&id=4603671

http://www .lifewithasociopath.com/

https://pathwhisperer.wordpress.com/2010/03/04/quadruple-search-today-ho w-to-cross-examine-a-sociopath/
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AC Unknown, 8 May 2013 @ 7:48pm

I hope that Judge Wright finds out and hammers these jerks with even more harsh sanctions. Abuse of the legal system like this should never be tolerated.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 May 2013 @ 8:02pm

Next headline will read...
"Angry judge tells John Steele to quit it. John Steele keeps doing what he does. No one surprised when USAO and IRS buttfuck him out of existence."

John Steele needs to learn to shut the fuck up.
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- Dinglebit the Aromatic, 9 May 2013 @ 3:16am
  
  Re: Next headline will read...
  No one surprised when USAO and IRS buttfuck him out of existence.
  
  Is that an available sanction?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2013 @ 4:03am
    
    Re: Re: Next headline will read...
    Thats what I'm taking away from Judge Wright's order. I don't see how any of this could go well for Prenda and their ilk. The USAO can take their time investigating the racketeering allegations and bleed Prenda et al dry. I imagine some upstart at the IRS would like to win some brownie points with a federal judge. Both would very much like good press and this is and easy win... unbelievable easy. Just keep talking John.
    
    There's blood in the water and the sharks are beginning to catch its scent.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2013 @ 5:46am

To Steele, this is all just a game. In fact, I'm pretty sure most lawyers think the whole system is just a game.
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Alana (profile), 9 May 2013 @ 4:27pm

More popcorn is being filed into my mouth.
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