It's a long story.
I work at a local nonprofit. In my spare time, I admin the Vermont "netroots" site, the Green Mountain Daily. Recently, I linked to another blog from an anonymous blogger who had been in email contact with me. In his emails, he informed me of institutional connections between Vermont's small secession movement, self-dubbed the Second Vermont Republic (SVR), and hate groups - specifically The League of the South, which has a history of opposing desegregation, interracial marriage, and whose members have links to Christian Identity and other unsavory movements (Check the Southern Poverty Law Center website for details).
While making a home for itself among the far left, SVR had included people like Thomas DiLorenzo and others on its Board of Advisors, and promoted the works of folks like Franklin Sanders in its publication.
(here is my original diary on the issue)
Even though I was essentially a middleman, I was made into the public face of the news because I'm not anonymous. To be clear, I made no charges - I just reported on the individual and institutional connections and expressed my deep disgust. Since then, there has been some news coverage, prominent members of the group have left, previously friendly far-left groups have demanded action and the group is crumbling only because they chose to dig in and sling mud back.
The founder of the organization took to the radio and attacked me personally, ranting and raving in such a manner that he insisted there was a grand conspiracy to take down the SVR because it had become too threatening (understand, in mainstream circles the SVR never comes up in conversation except as a punchline). He named myself, the anonymous blogger, a member of the press and someone I'd never heard of in this conspiracy (someone I've since come to learn is also a critic). As part of his rant, he essentially tried to get me in trouble with my employer, stating that I'd been a phone in guest on the same radio show during business hours and was therfore doing it from work and should be fired (I was at home. We were stuck in a blizzard).
I had a sit down with his co-chair (at his request) who disavowed the notion of trying to get me fired and assured me that the founder would not do such a thing.
Not.
Since then, he has fired off a ten five page letter focused on me. It makes bizarre allegations - that a I'm "vehemently opposed" to peaceable secession (I've stated publicly that I'm not - I just dont think about it much, although it appeals to the left-libertarian in me in principle), ties in a conspiracy from my days working for the Dems and for Bernie Sanders - but it specifically smears my boss by name in an attempt to get me fired. It's a letter he's sent out to his entire mailing list across the state.
I'm done playing games, and I want to take action. While the accusations are bullshit, he obviously doesn't care and is going to continue his stalking campaign relentlessly. The stress is weighing heavily on both me and my family and I'm feeling seriously threatened.
I'm appealing to those in the greater blogger community for help, including recommendations for a lawyer who could help me look into civil action against this person. I have less than no money, as I am deeply in debt and have very little income, so my options are very limited. I'll start a defense fund if I have to, but I know most bloggers are as broke as I am.
So...uhhh...help? A reco to keep this up for a little while would be appreciated.