DC Trawler

Random House ‘Fires Back At Breitbart’ By Apologizing To Lena Dunham’s Victim, Offering Cash In Exchange For Charitable Donation

Jim Treacher Blogger
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Last week, Breitbart’s John Nolte did the job the mainstream media doesn’t want to do: He tried to determine if there’s any factual basis for Lena Dunham’s rape accusation in her best-selling memoir, Not That Kind of Girl. In it, Dunham claims that an Oberlin “campus Republican” named “Barry” raped her when she was 19. As it turns out, at the time there was only one Republican on the Oberlin campus named Barry, and he says he didn’t do it.

That would seem to present a problem.

What now?

Now we have this story from The Wrap. This was the actual headline, before they changed it:

“Fires back”? Here we go, here we go. Alright, Random House: Show those dumb teabaggers at Breitbart what time it is!

Lena Dunham‘s publisher has responded to a story on conservative blog Breitbart News which questioned the validity of rape allegations in the actress’ memoir, as well as her silence since coming forward with the sexual assault claims. The detailed report on Breitbart also called into question Dunham possibly misidentifying the man who she calls “Barry” in the book.

“As indicated on the copyright page of ‘Not That Kind of Girl’ by Lena Dunham, some names and identifying details in the book have been changed. The name ‘Barry’ referenced in the book is a pseudonym,” the publisher told TheWrap exclusively. “Random House, on our own behalf and on behalf of our author, regrets the confusion that has led attorney Aaron Minc to post on GoFundMe on behalf of his client, whose first name is Barry.”

“We are offering to pay the fees Mr. Minc has billed his client to date,” the company continued. “Our offer will allow Mr. Minc and his client to donate all of the crowd-funding raised to not-for-profit organizations assisting survivors of rape and sexual assault.”

…oh. That’s firing back? What, with a cannon full of cash?

But don’t worry, Lena Dunham defenders. Just because Random House is apologizing to a man who’s been falsely accused of rape by one of their authors, it doesn’t mean they’re going to let the guy get away with it. They’ll pay his legal fees… if he agrees to donate his legal fund to the charities of their choice.

So now, if he refuses — merely because he hasn’t done anything wrong, and they’re in no position whatsoever to set terms — he can be accused of hating rape victims.

Yay! Lena wins again. Congratulations, Lena.

What have we learned? Jezebel’s Kate Fries explains why St. Lena remains a blameless victim of the patriarchal rape culture, et cetera:

So to sum up: Conservative publications started a witch hunt to identify a man who allegedly raped Dunham who she did not intend to identify and by all appearances did not want identified, which got a man who apparently did not rape Dunham accused of rape, and now said conservative publications are gloating because they caused multiple individuals unnecessary turmoil under the guise of journalistic due diligence.

Excellent use of everyone’s time.

As for the guy who’s been falsely accused of rape? Serves him right, apparently.

True, false, whatever. Get back in line, you misogynists.