Connie Sonne Accuses Banachek of cheating her

[Nankay]

I have heard that Connie Sonne is now accusing Banachek of cheating while handling the cards at the MDC. Is this true? I cannot find a link to her actual interview saying this. Thanks

 

[BartiDdu]

It's buried in the middle of this old thread http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132871&page=7 about 3/4 of the way down (post no. #271). The cheating claim was made by Connie Sonne as a post on this forum. I was hoping the mods would split the thread at that point to draw attention to this but it can still be found if you look hard enough!

 

[Bartmon]

Connie...

Hi out there...now I know why Banacheck was "the card handler". I have been cheated. I did find the right cards. And there is one more thing. At the stage, Banacheck said to me BEFORE he even looked in the envelope I had cut...and here is spade ace, the one you looked for!!!! I first hit me now about that ....but maybe you can see it yourself if someone get the video. I don`t care about the money, that wasn`t the reason why I came. So no matter what you think out there......I was CHEATED!!!!!

Connie
------------------

I spent about 2.5 hours with Connie. 1.5 hours before the test, and about an hour after the press conference.

She repeatedly said that she was treated very fairly by the JREF. She said that we were honest and honorable. She said that the test was fair. She said the test was fair AFTER she failed the test. The reason she gave me for failing was that the entities that talk through her did not feel that it was time to show the world of their existence, or the truth (be that what it may).

Connie handled herself very well and she was pleasant company. I am disappointed that she feels this way.

From my perspective (about 15 feet behind Connie in the wings of the stage) Banachek either saw the corner of the card as he squeezed the envelope so that he could grab the edge of the card or it was the last card left in that set and therefore he knew that it HAD to be the Ace.

In my opinion the idea that someone cheated is not realistic. Such extraordinary lengths were went to in order to ensure that no one knew where the cards were, what they were, etc. and also to keep Connie from Banachek and Alison, etc., and also to ensure that Connie was agreeable and satisfied.

I hope Connie can take the high road here because she was treated with a lot of respect and she treated us with respect. This is not the way to end it. To say that the 'entities wouldn't let her win' is far more honorable than accusing someone like Banachek, the JREF, and heck, even myself, of cheating.

Bart

 

[Nankay]

Wow. So much for "taking the high road". Thanks for the link.

 

[Audible Click]

I don't think your post will help her climb back on "the high road" even if that was possible. Her reaction was to post on this forum and accuse the JREF of cheating her. She has plans to have a website up in September to address this. As has been asked before, why not just seek a legal remedy? Connie Sonne is not playing with a full deck.(pun intended)

 

[Audible Click]

Hi out there...now I know why Banacheck was "the card handler". I have been cheated. I did find the right cards. And there is one more thing. At the stage, Banacheck said to me BEFORE he even looked in the envelope I had cut...and here is spade ace, the one you looked for!!!! I first hit me now about that ....but maybe you can see it yourself if someone get the video. I don`t care about the money, that wasn`t the reason why I came. So no matter what you think out there......I was CHEATED!!!!!

Connie
------------------

I spent about 2.5 hours with Connie. 1.5 hours before the test, and about an hour after the press conference.

She repeatedly said that she was treated very fairly by the JREF. She said that we were honest and honorable. She said that the test was fair. She said the test was fair AFTER she failed the test. The reason she gave me for failing was that the entities that talk through her did not feel that it was time to show the world of their existence, or the truth (be that what it may).

Connie handled herself very well and she was pleasant company. I am disappointed that she feels this way.

From my perspective (about 15 feet behind Connie in the wings of the stage) Banachek either saw the corner of the card as he squeezed the envelope so that he could grab the edge of the card or it was the last card left in that set and therefore he knew that it HAD to be the Ace.

The idea that someone cheated is a joke. Such extraordinary lengths were went to in order to ensure that no one knew where the cards were, what they were, etc. and also to keep Connie from Banachek and Alison, etc., and also to ensure that Connie was agreeable and satisfied.

I hope Connie can take the high road here because she was treated with a lot of respect and she treated us with respect. This is not the way to end it. To say that the 'entities wouldn't let her win' is far more honorable than accusing someone like Banachek, the JREF, and heck, even myself, of cheating.

Bart

I don't think your post will help her climb back on "the high road" even if that was possible. Her reaction was to post on this forum and accuse the JREF of cheating her. She has plans to have a website up in September to address this. As has been asked before, why not just seek a legal remedy? Connie Sonne is not playing with a full deck.(pun intended)

 

[VisionFromFeeling]

My first impression of Banachek was that he seemed like any good old friendly JREF staff member, perhaps, I thought, someone who handles the post there, or deals with the archives, or some other good fellow like our Jeff Wagg. Little did I know that Banachek is a foremost mentalist and magician, and that, in my opinion, makes him highly unsuitable as the person handling the cards during the test. However this also makes him highly suitable to stand aside as a supervisor for the test - out of arms reach, and with both hands behind his back.

In my opinion the idea that someone cheated is not realistic. Such extraordinary lengths were went to in order to ensure that no one knew where the cards were, what they were, etc. and also to keep Connie from Banachek and Alison, etc., and also to ensure that Connie was agreeable and satisfied.

In all fairness, how about keeping Banachek and Alison from each other? Alison prepared the envelopes with the cards. Think about that.

When I begun watching the test I had no reason to expect any form of cheating by the JREF or by Banachek and rather my eyes were on Connie to watch for any suspicious behavior on her part. Yet something about some of the body language and gestures by Banachek came across as strange to me. At times I would have wished to see his wrists and hands from another angle, and I remembered seeing in the past how skilled some magicians are in swapping cards, yet I was confused since Banachek was just your average JREF staff member right? But he's a professional magician so good that he had scientists convinced that he is capable of mind over matter. I won't accuse the JREF of cheating, but I certainly acknowledge that the opportunity could have been there and I think we all need to see that video again.

If the procedure would have involved the claimant handling the cards I am sure the JREF would not have allowed her to wear a long-sleeved shirt. I was surprised that this simple but vital rule was not imposed on Banachek.

 

[Olowkow]

I can just picture the conversation in hushed tones the night before the MDC test:

James Randi: Banacheck, I'm worried about the million. This Sonne dame really has the gift, you know. I just know she's going to beat us.

Banacheck: B..b.but Amazing, I thought you didn't believe in this stuff! Don't worry, no way she's going to beat you out of your million.

JR: Look, I need you to pull the Chinese 3 card switch on her at the last minute on stage or we lose the mil!

B: What's in it for me, Amazin'?

JR: I'll buy you dinner...

B: Well, Ok, I'll do it.

 

[dblue]

I can just picture the conversation in hushed tones the night before the MDC test:

James Randi: Banacheck, I'm worried about the million. This Sonne dame really has the gift, you know. I just know she's going to beat us.

Banacheck: B..b.but Amazing, I thought you didn't believe in this stuff! Don't worry, no way she's going to beat you out of your million.

JR: Look, I need you to pull the Chinese 3 card switch on her at the last minute on stage or we lose the mil!

B: What's in it for me, Amazin'?

JR: I'll buy you dinner...

B: Well, Ok, I'll do it.

Well put sir.

 

[Eos of the Eons]

I was one of only a few people standing during the test (being a volunteer for the duration), and only a few feet away from Sonne and Banachek.

I know for a fact that Bannachek only announced the cards after he saw them. This was after she cut the envelopes open. The cards were in there so tightly that there was no way they could have been switched at any time. The cards were also double enveloped, so there was no way Banachek nor Sonne could see what they were until the second envelope was cut open by Sonne.

I know Bannachek saw every card before he announced any of them. Some he saw before he was able to wrestle them free from their individual envelopes, but always after Sonne cut the envelopes open.

 

[Eos of the Eons]

It is because Banachek is a mentalist that he could make sure Sonne didn't cheat.

Face it. NO matter who yanked the cards out, or who put the envelopes together in the first place, Sonne would never have accepted the inevitable outcome.

There is no doubt this was a fair test. There was no cheating on either side.

There is no doubt she failed because there is no special dowsing ability that can enable people to accurately name what cards are in envelopes they cannot see through.

 

[Uncayimmy]

My first impression of Banachek was that he seemed like any good old friendly JREF staff member, perhaps, I thought, someone who handles the post there, or deals with the archives, or some other good fellow like our Jeff Wagg. Little did I know that Banachek is a foremost mentalist and magician, and that, in my opinion, makes him highly unsuitable as the person handling the cards during the test. However this also makes him highly suitable to stand aside as a supervisor for the test - out of arms reach, and with both hands behind his back.

Explain how he could have cheated while following the protocol. If you can do that, then it doesn't matter who was doing the testing because anybody could be taught sleight of hand. Are you going to run background checks on every person to make sure they're not card sharks? If you can't explain how it might be done, then it still doesn't matter who was doing the testing.

Why don't you tell us how cheating would have been carried out with the best sleight of hand expert in the world?

In all fairness, how about keeping Banachek and Alison from each other? Alison prepared the envelopes with the cards. Think about that.

Do you know for a fact that Alison prepared the envelopes? Do you know that those two were not kept apart?

Most cheating scenarios require the tester to know which card is which, and that requires collusion. What you don't seem to understand is that there is virtually no way prevent collusion among JREF testers. The steps required to be 100% certain of no collusion are extraordinarily complicated if not practically impossible. By that I mean every time I try to figure out a way to do it, I put on my Conspiracy Theory hat and find a potential flaw. Feel free to try me.

The main reason the JREF doesn't want the tester to know which cards are which is to avoid inadvertently or even deliberately ($0.5M is a lot of money) tipping off the claimant. Having the tester know the cards puts the JREF at a disadvantage. The only "reasonable" method of collusion would be for someone to somehow signal the tester if the claimant picked the right card. Without checking for electronic signal devices, coughs, touches on the face, and so forth, how are you going to know for sure this didn't happen?

You can't. So you rely on the protocol itself. The tester puts the selected card to the side and never touches it again until the test is over. The rest of the cards are collected and put back in the large envelope not to be touched again until the conclusion of the test. It's not like he mixed them all together or took the selected card out of sight.

Quite frankly, you're being silly.

When I begun watching the test I had no reason to expect any form of cheating by the JREF or by Banachek and rather my eyes were on Connie to watch for any suspicious behavior on her part. Yet something about some of the body language and gestures by Banachek came across as strange to me.

Funny how you didn't mention this to me before when you sent me IMs about the test. I don't believe you had any suspicions until you heard about Banachek's skills. I think you invented your suspicions after the fact.

If the procedure would have involved the claimant handling the cards I am sure the JREF would not have allowed her to wear a long-sleeved shirt. I was surprised that this simple but vital rule was not imposed on Banachek.

Why would the JREF need to cheat? That's the biggest hurdle you need to overcome. If they thought she were for real, they wouldn't have signed the paperwork in the first place. Why in the world would they risk the $1M, a costly court case, the reputation of the JREF, and possibly their non-profit status? Why would the individuals risk their own professional reputations and subject themselves to personal liability? It makes no sense to agree to a test stacked incredibly in your favor and then cheat.

BTW, if the JREF were ever to be part of discovering a new "force" in the universe, they would be absolutely thrilled. I know I would be. They would love to be part of it. If Connie has some "real" power, one little JREF test won't stop her, so it makes no sense for the JREF to try to suppress her. Think about it. If she turns out to be for real (I mean, in the real world of science, not the VFF world), then how will people judge the JREF for her failed test? There would be loud cries of cheating from all over the press. It would wipe out everything they have done to this point in regards to the MDC.

So, what am I missing? Why would the JREF cheat? What's there to gain?

 

[Wowbagger]

If Banachek was (hypothetically) going to cheat, he picked an awfully risky format to do it in: Hundreds watching it in person, and thousands more watching live on the Internet. Any sneaky moves would have been picked out, by now!

One thing I noticed was that Banachek was wearing short sleeves, and kept his arms above the table during the actual test. (He did lower them below the table, during the open phase, but that was just a "calibration" and practice round.) So, where would the replacement cards have come from?

 

[Eos of the Eons]

I'd like to know how anyone could have possibly told the envelopes apart. There was no way to cheat! Not by collusion, not by slight of hand, no way.

 

[Tricky]

If Connie Sonne had any objections to Banachek as a participant in the test, she should have voiced them before the test. Had she done this, I feel like they would have probably made other arrangements.

Since her complaint only was made after she failed, it is clear that it is the desperate screech of someone looking for any excuse for the failure, and refusing to believe that she might be wrong about her power. Sad, but not surprisising.

 

[prewitt81]

I can just picture the conversation in hushed tones the night before the MDC test:

James Randi: Banacheck, I'm worried about the million. This Sonne dame really has the gift, you know. I just know she's going to beat us.

Banacheck: B..b.but Amazing, I thought you didn't believe in this stuff! Don't worry, no way she's going to beat you out of your million.

JR: Look, I need you to pull the Chinese 3 card switch on her at the last minute on stage or we lose the mil!

B: What's in it for me, Amazin'?

JR: I'll buy you dinner...

B: Well, Ok, I'll do it.

I've documented a similar occurrence before: http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=1015465#post1015465

 

[rjh01]

I am wondering was it her who made that post or did someone hack into her account here and made the post? Has she made the accusation in real life? I find it strange that she would not have said something soon after the test, like when she was interviewed.

I know I am only speculating. The only evidence is that she has not made any posts until that one since April.

I only hope she comes back to the forum and apologizes to everyone for the post.

 

[Uncayimmy]

I'd like to know how anyone could have possibly told the envelopes apart. There was no way to cheat! Not by collusion, not by slight of hand, no way.

Oh, to be so innocent and trusting. The collusion part is incredibly easy.

1) Since we and presumably Connie did not see the cards being placed in the envelopes, they could have been inserted in a pre-determined order as dictated by Banachek.

2) If there were witnesses making sure the cards were inserted in random order, only one person needed to memorize the order. At most they only needed to memorize two sequences of ten since Connie only needed to miss one to fail the test. That's like memorizing two phone numbers - big whoop.

2a) This person tells Banacek the order, and he memorizes it.

2b) This person witnesses the test. If, and only if, Connie selects the right card, this person signals Banachek. How? Any subtle movement would work.

2c) This person watches the test over the webcam and signals Banachek electronically if and only if Connies selects the right card.

The collusion part is easy if extremely unlikely.

The virtually impossible part is the sleight of hand. He set the selected card (S) to the side and put the unselected cards (U) back in the large envelope. In order to cheat he needed to palm a U without being seen - no easy feat. He then needed to touch S a second time and swap U for S. That's even trickier. Then he needed to touch the large envelope a second time and place S inside the envelope with the others. All this without anybody noticing.

I'd have to review the video again to see if the number of touches matched up, but I don't think it does. Even if that does turn out to be the case, I don't see how he could do it without being detected, especially getting S back inside the large envelope.

What I can't recall is whether he wrote anything on S. The protocol posted here says that he was supposed to write on the envelope and set it aside, then put the remaining envelopes back in the large envelope. If it happened like that, then he had to fake writing on the envelope, do the switch, then write on the newly swapped envelope without anybody seeing.

Thing is, I don't think he wrote on the envelope. I think he wrote on a card and placed that card on top of the envelope. Maybe the protocol was altered. Regardless, that eliminates the writting issue, but makes the swap even more difficult with something on top of the S.

 

[Eos of the Eons]

I'd like to see you collude with someone succesfully that way with identical envelopes. Especially since there were no doubles when all of the envelopes were opened.

Colluding or cheating was absolutely unnecessary. She only had chance on her side, and chance is fickle.

 

[Uncayimmy]

I'd like to see you collude with someone succesfully that way with identical envelopes. Especially since there were no doubles when all of the envelopes were opened.

I don't follow. The smaller envelopes had to go into the larger envelope in some order. It's very easy to memorize that order (10 digit phone number). The only risk is whether the smaller envelopes got out of order while sitting in the larger envelope.

If you'd like to offer me a financial challenge to prove that I could do it, I'd be glad to accept.

 

[zooterkin]

<deleted>

My mistake, I'm getting my woos confused.

ETA: She repeated the claim yesterday.

Gzuzkrytz, you are right about both. I can and will demonstrate everything. I can and will ensure you, that Ì have been cheated. I allready have the evidences. Check my name out in first in september. I will get a website where I will put it ALL, also in english. AND all the evidences about Maddie. So you can THEN decide if I´m deluded or not!! I can only say now....most of you people out there are wrong, very wrong. My last words here on this site.

Connie

and Jeff Wagg responded:

The JREF is aware of this post by Connie Sonne. We're in various states of travel as we return from TAM, and we'll respond when we've carefully considered what Connie has said. We do have video of the test and the press conference following the event.

 

[Lothian]

Connie knows the format. She can practice as much as she wants.

If she could pass the test she would be on every TV show in the land demonstrating it.

She is obviously disappointed that she failed spectacularly and is trying to find excuses to save face.

 

[Sideroxylon]

I am wondering was it her who made that post or did someone hack into her account here and made the post? Has she made the accusation in real life? I find it strange that she would not have said something soon after the test, like when she was interviewed.

I know I am only speculating. The only evidence is that she has not made any posts until that one since April.

I only hope she comes back to the forum and apologizes to everyone for the post.

I'd say its just that someone has been in her ear since the event and planted these suspicions.

 

[wardenclyffe]

I believe he wrote on the envelope in front of the applicant. He also wrote on a white card as a label. I think he wrote the suit on the label when they began dealing with that suit. Then when the card was selected, he wrote the number on the envelope and placed the envelope next to the white label so he could keep track of which number went with which suit.

That's how I remember it.

Ward

 

[Pixel42]

Connie knows the format. She can practice as much as she wants.

She didn't bother to practice beforehand, apparently because she thought her previous self-testing - which didn't include any of the precautions necessary to eliminate the ideomotor effect - was adequate. I suspect any practice she now does will again use the cardboard letter cards she made herself with which she convinced her family, and which will again confirm her "ability" to her own satisfaction.

I find myself wondering how she would have reacted if she had passed the test, following the protocol, and JREF had then accused her of cheating and objected to something in the protocol to which they had previously agreed.

 

[pakeha]

Connie Sonne

I found Bartmon's post about the demeanor of Connie Sonne most interesting, especially in light of an interview the lady gave afterwards which has been posted on the web.
Sorry not to post the link, but I'm not able to as yet.
I find it fascinating the lady cries "Cheat" (if in fact those posts ARE from her), knowing how many were in the hall at the time, as well as viewing by the stream.
Is there any way of 'proving' Connie Sonne actually made those posts?
Or 'proving' she did not?

 

[rjh01]

Is this the interview? http://skepticblog.org/2009/07/13/connies-conundrums/

If not post the link without the http: Someone will convert it to a link.

Or go to humour and make four posts proving you have a sense of humour.

 

[pakeha]

Connie Sonne

well, that was fun.
I'd finally sorted where I'd seen the interview, return here to post and find rhj01 had everything under control.
Well done and thanks for the advise about the humour
Would it count as a preliminary test for the $$challenge?
Back to ms Sonne.

 

[EHocking]

I have been watching carefully.

If the procedure would have involved the claimant handling the cards I am sure the JREF would not have allowed her to wear a long-sleeved shirt. I was surprised that this simple but vital rule was not imposed on Banachek.

...One thing I noticed was that Banachek was wearing short sleeves, and kept his arms above the table during the actual test...

So. Which is it?

Has a video of this Challenge at TAM been posted anywhere?
Will it be?

 

[Sideroxylon]

So. Which is it?

Has a video of this Challenge at TAM been posted anywhere?
Will it be?

This seems to be the end of the test here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhoW6_2H4aE

 

[steenkh]

This seems to be the end of the test here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhoW6_2H4aE

I do not see anything that suggests that Banachek was reading out the second card before he could see it. The main difference is that this car5d came easily out of its envelope, whereas the others were tight.

That said, I also think that it was a mistake to have a renowned magician read out the cards, or indeed if it had been a regular JREF employee. A more neutral person, or a person selected by Ms. Sonne would have prevented the accusations that we find now.

Besides, if Banacheck had cheated, it would be strange for him to do it also on the second card, when Ms. Sonne had already failed on the first card.

 

[VisionFromFeeling]

A more neutral person, or a person selected by Ms. Sonne would have prevented the accusations that we find now.

That wouldn't have worked either, imagine had she had three correct.

 

[phyz]

I think we all need to see that video again.

If the procedure would have involved the claimant handling the cards I am sure the JREF would not have allowed her to wear a long-sleeved shirt. I was surprised that this simple but vital rule was not imposed on Banachek.

Oh Vision, you proclaimed that you were watching so carefully.

And yet you missed the fact that Banachek's sleeves were rolled up?

Sorry you're late to the knowledge that Banachek is a performer. Connie knew that going in. And Banachek makes no secret of his profession. Indeed, go to www.google.com, type in "banachek" and click the oft-ignored "I'm feeling lucky" button. Let me know what comes up.

Watching carefully? Honestly!

 

[steenkh]

That wouldn't have worked either, imagine had she had three correct.

What exactly could such a person do who had no prior possibility of palming an envelope or having one prepared of the same type in advance?

Skeptics would surely ponder what had happened, but I believe trickery on the part of the person who opened the envelope would be low on the list.

I cannot know, but I certainly hope that skeptics would be more graceful than Connie Sonne.

 

[Uncayimmy]

That wouldn't have worked either, imagine had she had three correct.

It sounds like you're saying that something didn't work. The test worked just fine. Anybody can make a vague accusation of cheating, but without a specific explanation and evidence, it's worthless. If Banachek didn't run the test, you'd be speculating about who the tester really was. If he's a buddy of Mr. Randi, then maybe he learned sleight of hand from hanging out with all his magician buddies. How suspicious it would be for them to use somebody that nobody knows! They should have used somebody that we knew!

I'm not surprised you're going in this direction. When you did your test wtih Dr. Carlson, you didn't say anything about a missing kidney. Only after Dr. Carlson revealed this information did you claim that you "knew" it but were too afraid of being wrong to mention it. The woman has had never been wrong before and who can see inside the body was afraid of being wrong about a major organ being missing. Right. You could have written "missing kidney" on a piece of paper and put it in your pocket, only to pull it out later if you it turned out you were right.

But no. All we have is your claim that you "really did" detect it. There's no evidence whatsoever, yet to this day you keep insisting you knew it. It's no different that Connie making vague accusations of cheating. Anything to protect the fantasy.

 

[MattusMaximus]

I see a pattern here... Ms. Sonne claims to have psychic powers, yet there is no evidence. And when she fails to provide said evidence in a preliminary test, she claims she was cheated... yet she provides no evidence, merely bald-faced assertions.

Cognitive dissonance is a powerful thing, and it is sad to see someone so obviously self-deluded as Ms. Sonne go around making false accusations about cheating when she knew, and agreed to, the protocol ahead of time.

Meh.

 

[Olowkow]

Hi out there...now I know why Banacheck was "the card handler". I have been cheated. I did find the right cards. And there is one more thing. At the stage, Banacheck said to me BEFORE he even looked in the envelope I had cut...and here is spade ace, the one you looked for!!!! I first hit me now about that ....but maybe you can see it yourself if someone get the video. I don`t care about the money, that wasn`t the reason why I came. So no matter what you think out there......I was CHEATED!!!!!

Connie
------------------

The "ace of spades" was the last card of the spade group that was cut open after the test was completed and failed. He was having her (painfully) open all the other envelopes just to demonstrate that the cards were all there. Upon opening all but one of the spade suit envelopes, he stated during the opening of the last spade envelope, something to effect that this will be (obviously) the ace of spades, since all the other spades were lying on the table. This had nothing to do with her passing or failing the test. Connie is just making waves over a very minor point.
She failed fair and square.

ETA: The only thing that I thought was odd was that the background was black, sort of a "magician's" set for disappearing things. I remember thinking that someone might claim that this could be to conceal hidden strings etc. Otherwise, Banacheck did an outstanding job.

 

[Miss_Kitt]

I was in the 'overflow' room watching via big screen, but listening live, to the test.

I noticed right away that Banacek had his forearms bare (either short-sleeved shirt or sleeves rolled up) and that he kept them clear of the table and especially, of the target card area. I also noticed him doing a lot of checking of the area below the table and glancing over at the selected cards during the dowsing proper--presumably checking for possible cheating--which was interesting to me.

It is still amazing to me that we had so many people interested in witnessing this test that we FILLED the room and had to put twenty-some folks into the overflow area! And that people were so quiet that the air conditioner was often the most apparent noise in the room.

I was struck at the time by Ms. Sonne's graciousness in defeat. Too bad it didn't stay that way (if indeed the post was by her).

Regards, Miss Kitt

 

[tkingdoll]

Connie's statements (if they are genuinely hers) and claims about Banachek and the JREF cheating are libellous and therefore actionable in law. I recommend, if I were her and were reading this thread, retracting the statement. Of course, I have no idea if Banachek or JREF are interested in suing to protect their respective reputations, but it's really not very clever or sensible to accuse public figures of trying to cheat an individual out of a million dollars.

Just sayin'.

 

[Olowkow]

La calomnnie monsieur! Vous ne savez guere ce que vous dedaignez!

Connie's statements (if they are genuinely hers) and claims about Banachek and the JREF cheating are libellous and therefore actionable in law. I recommend, if I were her and were reading this thread, retracting the statement. Of course, I have no idea if Banachek or JREF are interested in suing to protect their respective reputations, but it's really not very clever or sensible to accuse public figures of trying to cheat an individual out of a million dollars.
Just sayin'.

Perhaps "may be libelous" is a little better, since accusing someone of libel can be libelous...oh well. I'm not accusing you of accusing her of....
http://newspaper-journalism.suite101.com/article.cfm/recognizing_and_avoiding_libel

The only real defense against libel is to prove that the accusations are true. I remember the example that if you call someone a whore, it is not libelous if it can be proven to be true.

I believe for instance that accusing judge Sotomayor of being racist is very likely libel/slander. (BTW libel is "written" and slander is spoken) Latino is not a race, so their claims are disingenuous, or more likely just stupid.

I agree that Connie should first retract this statement somehow, convincingly, and if she still really believes her claim, to pursue trying to prove it, unlikely as that outcome might be. Oh, I almost forgot, she doesn't care about the money.
Just picture what the "spoon bender's" response would be to such an accusation!