Sen. Jim DeMint Wants "Loser Pays" System Of Tort Reform

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) wants to create a "loser pays" system for civil lawsuits so groups like the ACLU will be "dissuaded from intimidating Christians and conservative groups."

"They've done a lot of harm," he states bluntly. "They're the group that constantly attacks the Boy Scouts for having 'God' in their pledge and wanting to set their own standards. The ACLU uses the threat of lawsuits and the cost of those lawsuits to back down school boards. They can drag people into court [and] they have a whole lot of power as attorneys to intimidate people." So DeMint argues there needs to be tort reform. "I just think we need to change our laws to create a 'loser pay' system, so that if they sue someone and lose, the defendants get...their court costs back," says the lawmaker. "That would make [the ACLU] a little more hesitant when they go out and try to attack those who are doing anything that's faith-related in our culture."

DeMint claims that those attacked by the ACLU know that even if they win, they can't recover the money spent defending themselves.