posted June 01, 2006 03:30 PM            

TWISTED:
Double-amputee Iraq vet Peter Damon, yesterday in Massachusetts, says Michael Moore unfairly portrayed him as anti-war in footage showing him suffering in a hospital.
May 31, 2006

EXCLUSIVE

A double-amputee Iraq-war vet is suing Michael Moore for $85 million, claiming the portly peacenik recycled an old interview and used it out of context to make him appear anti-war in "Fahrenheit 9/11."

Sgt. Peter Damon, 33, who strongly supports America's invasion of Iraq, said he never agreed to be in the 2004 movie, which trashes President Bush.

In the 2003 interview, which he did at Walter Reed Army Hospital for NBC News, he discussed only a new painkiller the military was using on wounded vets.

"They took the clip because it was a gut-wrenching scene," Damon said yesterday. "They sandwiched it in. [Moore] was using me as ammunition."

Damon seems to "voice complaint about the war effort" in the movie, according to the lawsuit.

But what the father of two from Middleborough, Mass., was really talking about was the "excruciating" pain he felt after he lost his arms when a Black Hawk helicopter exploded in front of him.

Damon wasn't expressing any opinion about the war, the suit charges, but rather extolling the drug.

"I just want everybody to know what kind of a guy Michael Moore is, and what kind of film this is," said Damon. He has appeared in two films attacking "Fahrenheit" -"Michael Moore Hates America" and "Fahrenhype 9/11."

In "Fahrenheit 9/11," the bandaged National Guardsman is shown laying on a gurney complaining that he feels like he's "being crushed in a vise. But they [the drugs] do a lot to help it and they take a lot of the edge off it."

His image appears seconds after Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) says, "You know, they say they're not leaving any veterans behind, but they're leaving all kinds of veterans behind."

Damon - the dad of a 8-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy - doesn't come close to feeling that way.

"He couldn't have picked the worst guy to say that about," he told The Post.

"I'm the most fortunate disabled guy. I've even had a house built for me [by a nonprofit group, Home for Our Troops]."

Particularly outrageous to Damon is the fact that Moore never interviewed him or asked his permission to use the old clip.

"I was complaining about the pain I would've been having [if it weren't for the painkiller]," he said.

NBC is named in the suit - which was filed in Suffolk County, Mass., on Friday - along with Harvey and Robert Weinstein, Miramax Corp., Lions Gate Films and other production companies involved with the picture.

Newsman Brian Williams ends the NBC clip by adding, "These men, with catastrophic wounds are . . . completely behind the war effort," according to the lawsuit.

That part, which wasn't shown in the Moore movie, is a far more accurate depiction of Damon's feelings, he said.

Lawyer Dennis Lynch said he took the case last year and they held off filing the lawsuit in a bid to settle the matter.

"We attempted to resolve the situation amicably with Mr. Moore [for a year] but he refused," he said.

Damon is asking for up to $75 million because of "loss of reputation, emotional distress, embarrassment, and personal humiliation."

In addition, his wife is suing for another $10 million because of the "mental distress and anguish suffered by her spouse."

Spokeswomen for NBC and Harvey and Robert Weinstein would not comment because they haven't seen the suit. Lions Gate doesn't comment on pending litigation, a rep said.

posted June 01, 2006 10:49 PM              

The guy may have changed his mind since Farenheit 9/11 was made years ago, but I doubt he has a case here.

That movie has been out for a few years now. It took him long enough to complain about it. Sort of like the woman who claimed that Clinton raped her coming out 25 years after she claims it happened. Took her a long time to get outraged over it.

posted June 01, 2006 11:52 PM              

quote:

---

In addition, his wife is suing for another $10 million because of the "mental distress and anguish suffered by her spouse."

---

posted June 02, 2006 01:21 AM              

quote:

---

The guy may have changed his mind since Farenheit 9/11 was made years ago, but I doubt he has a case here.
That movie has been out for a few years now. It took him long enough to complain about it.

---

posted June 02, 2006 10:26 AM            

There is a statute of limitations in both civil and criminal prosecutions. If that date passes and you haven't filed charges or a civil lawsuit, you lose the right to do so.

Haven't heard much from the loud mouthed hoaxer for a while and I'm really sorry about that.

Michael Moore is the radical far left's gift to Republicans which keeps giving and giving.

Perhaps Moore will cash in some of those stocks he says he doesn't own to pay the judgment against him.

posted June 02, 2006 10:27 AM              

That about did it for me

posted June 02, 2006 10:42 AM              

She may have filed her concurrent suit more out of vindictiveness than greediness.
("B@stard won't listen to us? FINE!")

posted June 02, 2006 11:16 AM              

I guess I just don't have much sympathy for folks who ask for exorbitant amounts of money to ease their "mental and emotional anguish". As if that works.

posted June 02, 2006 11:27 AM            

Suddenly the telephone is ringing from friends, military and otherwise and family wanting to know what the hell her husband is doing appearing in a propaganda piece for the far radical left.

Or perhaps, the phone just didn't ring at all.

posted June 02, 2006 11:38 AM              

Here you go, for the record ... I am NOT a fan of Michael Moore. Nevertheless, the fact that I happen to think Moore is an untrustworthy assh*le does not preclude me from also turning my nose up at a 10 million dollar request for mental anguish.

posted June 02, 2006 12:05 PM              

....but.....

Two Wrights make an airplane....

posted June 02, 2006 12:23 PM            

That didn't stop me from rearranging the profile of one who threatened my good natured little fuzz ball body and actually attempted to hit me. Momma did tsk, tsk.

We're a nation of laws. For every injury, there is a remedy at law. Were that not true, the only resort to settle grievances, injury and to gain a measure of justice would be to violence.

I believe both the husband and wife were injured by Michael Moore's distortion of this soldiers position on the war.

posted June 02, 2006 12:36 PM              

So let me get this straight ....

A member of the United States military sticks a baton up the rear end of a Iraqi POW and gets 3 years imprisonment while Mr Damon's wife loses a few friends and cries herself to sleep at night and she quite possibly deserves 10 mill to cheer her up?

This sits well with you?

All of this makes you happy for no other reason than it has the potential to make Moore look bad. Get your priorities straight.

posted June 02, 2006 03:04 PM              

(edit: sorry the thumb should be up..)

he knew who he was talking to...a LIBERAL from hollywood(did he think this was going to be a PROWAR MOVIE????? HELLO?!?!), give me a freakin break- he knew what he was saying and how the movie was going to be betrayed, he obviously signed the papers- I dont know how MOORE could of possibly put him in a bad light(he put himself in that position)- hes just regretting now coz of all the BS that spewed afterwards..
------------------
"WHATEVER the soul longs for, WILL be attained by the spirit"

"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation"

-Khalil Gibran

posted June 02, 2006 03:23 PM              

But I don't believe it was Moore who conducted the interview. Also, and I could be wrong, I think Damon's beef is that Moore never received his permission. But I've only read one other article beside this one.

posted June 02, 2006 04:08 PM            

quote:

---

We're a nation of laws. For every injury, there is a remedy at law. Were that not true, the only resort to settle grievances, injury and to gain a measure of justice would be to violence.

---