A man who was one of four accused by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) in February of drugging, molesting and filming women, including herself is suing media figures including Steven Crowder for defamation after they reported on and speculated about the guilt of the men.

Mace can't be sued for defamation because her speech on the House floor is protected by the Constitution's 'speech or debate' clause, which says lawmakers can't be sued for anything they say during a session of Congress.

But lawyers for one of the four men, Brian Musgrave, figured out that they could go after the right-wing media figures who talked about Mace's comments, even if they couldn't touch her.

The suit

So far, Musgrave is suing Crowder, the Louder with Crowder podcast host, and its CEO Gerald Morgan.

They are also suing Dan Ball the host of Real America on One America News Network, and its parent company, Herring Networks.

Mace's name is mentioned 73 times in the suit, however, which means she will probably be subpoenaed to testify while she's also trying to run for governor next year. That'll be fun.

Mace said in the speech that she found 10,000 sexual and suggestive videos involving the four men and various women on her ex-fiance's phone and on a supposed secret camera, and she called the actions of the four "gutless and evil."

She made it up

Musgrave said she made it all up to get back at the ex-fiance, Patrick Bryant, after he didn't acquiesce to her demands following their breakup.

He also claimed that he only knew Mace through Bryant and wasn't present for any of the alleged acts she referenced.

"Mace's speech was nothing more than the culmination of a campaign of blackmail and extortion against her ex-fiancé after he refused to capitulate to her demands for money and for possession of property that they previously owned together,' his complaint stated. "As for the plaintiff, he became collateral damage."

Musgrave said that the speech ruined his reputation, and he's blaming the media for its coverage of her accusations.

To give one example, Crowder said on an episode of his podcast, "With that amount of evidence, it would seem like that there will be some people put in prison for life," and his CEO Morgan chimed in, "These guys deserve every ounce of punishment we can give them."

When Ball was interviewing Mace, he said, "One of the perverts that you went after when you called them out and doxed them on the house floor finally got arrested. You're getting some satisfaction here, Nancy."

Got carried away

One of the most basic things journalists learn is to say "alleged" when talking about someone's crime before they are convicted. If these guys didn't do that, it seems that Musgrave could have a case against them.

It's all too easy when among friends in the podcast world to get carried away and forget that you are a journalist just as much as anyone else--with the same legal responsibilities. This could be the wakeup call podcasters need, and a very expensive lesson for Crowder.