Moore V. Hoff - Minnesota Appeals Court Upholds First Amendment, Leaves Public With No Protection From Hoff

Note: Be sure to read the update at the end of this post.

On August 20, 2012, the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed the verdict, in Moore v. Hoff Click here for court ruling.
The following is the case summary as described by MediaLawMinnesota.com.

"The case, Moore v. Hoff, involved a long-simmering Minneapolis dispute between John Hoff, who writes a blog titled “The Adventures of Johnny Northside,” and Jerry L. Moore, who worked in the University of Minnesota’s Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center.

Hoff made a blog post that Moore claimed were defamatory, and in turn Moore claimed that his termination from the university was linked to the allegedly false post.  Moore sued Hoff for defamation but also for interfering with his business relations.  A jury found that the posts were not false but nevertheless found interference with business relations."

I have been researching John Hoff aka Johnny Northside for the past 4 years and during that time I have collected more than enough factual information on him that I could easily write a non-authorized auto-biography about him. 

What I have learned about Hoff is that he is a master manipulator as he has even published that claim in one of his books, "Dumpster Diving The Advanced Course - How to turn other people's trash into money, publicity and power." Here is a quote from that book about media manipulation:

"I have done it many times. But I have done it through my ability to scavenge and my rather advanced ability to engage in media manipulation."

One fact that has not been published by anyone who has written about the previous verdict and the outcome of the appeal is what he told the truth about. Every publication and the courts have repeated what Hoff said that Moore was involved in a high profile mortgage fraud case. That was the true statement but, what was the actual "involvement?" In other words, HOW was he involved?
In the residential house deal that Moore was "involved" with, the fraud was committed by the buyers and they were prosecuted and convicted. Jerry Moore was not even the seller. In fact, he was listed on the HUD-1 statement as a "consultant to the seller."  He was a CONSULTANT to the party who did NOT commit fraud but, technically he was involved in the transaction as a consultant.

As an example, lets assume John Hoff went to have dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel restaurant and he was seated on the far side. Also eating dinner at the same time on the other side of the restaurant was famed former New York City Mob boss, John Gotti. Lets say I was a waiter working there that night and I wrote about my brush with fame on my blog by saying, "John Hoff had dinner with New York mob boss John Gotti at the Four Seasons." That would technically be true because, everyone seated in the restaurant would be having dinner while Gotti was also having his. I could say in public all I wanted that John Hoff had dinner with a convicted thug and murderer...AND get away with it because it was true.

I have to agree with the Court of Appeals ruling as I believe the ruling protected free speech for everyone. What this case and knowing first hand about John Hoff has shown me is that there has to be some sort of protection for people when the First Amendment is manipulated and used as a weapon. John Hoff has a degree in Law (UND 2004) but, he has yet to take the Bar exam. He knows the loopholes and how to manipulate them in order to avoid accountability for his aggressive behavior. Hoff has used the First Amendment as an offensive weapon against the very people it is supposed to protect. 
I know this to be true because, after this blog was established John Hoff insisted I delete it and if I refused, he would "first amendment retaliate" against me. Click here to read the actual email containing Hoff's threat.

Update: I was notified by Blogger that a comment has been submitted for moderation. The comment was submitted by none other than John Hoff himself.
I am publishing his comment so readers can see for themselves how he uses free speech with the intent to bring harm upon his critics. Here is a copy of the comment made in response to this post by John Hoff:

"(Sarcasm font) Right, Jerry Moore is so peripherally involved that he's being sued by the victims of the mortgage fraud. (End sarcasm font) How many times did you predict a victory like this would never come for Johnny Northside? Who is your big monkey daddy now, Jim Watkins, you whining little non-entity and friend of fraudsters? HA!!!! Say hi to your friend Thomas Balko in PRISON. I have plenty more to write about HIM."

The reference to my friend is an example of his aggressiveness while using the first amendment as a tool. Readers should also know that because Hoff was not able to force me to comply with his demands to delete this blog, he blogged to others to write prison officials in order to attempt to make life more uncomfortable for my friend. Clich here to read (in comments section). He attacked my friend in order to get to me. He made good on his threat to write the prison and the result brought on the end to my 30+ year friendship. Click here for that story.
I don't think the first amendment was intended to actually protect people like Hoff.