George Harris
Tens of millions of Americans, myself included, mourned the passing of Hulk Hogan last year. The pro wrestler's strength, charisma, work ethic, and redemption arc made him a real American hero to many. But in the countless tributes published, almost everyone overlooked the fact that Hogan was the unlikely pioneer of a legal tactic to fight back against woke, leftist corporations.
When conservatives remember Hogan for his activism, most will understandably focus on his endorsement of President Trump at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where he iconically ripped off his suit to reveal a Trump/Vance tank top underneath. Yet it's Hogan's legal innovation that may be his greatest contribution towards defeating wokeism and making America great again.
Unfortunately, that tactic is now under attack -- and not just from Democrats, but from anti-Trump Republicans in thrall to woke corporations. President Trump and genuine conservatives in Congress can honor Hogan's legacy and protect conservative activists by keeping this legal option accessible.
Back in 2012, the leftist gossip site Gawker, infamous for smearing conservative activists, published embarrassing footage of Hogan that had been secretly recorded. Gawker's goal was simple -- humiliate a man hated by the left.
Hogan asked Gawker to take down the footage, but the site refused, claiming a First Amendment right to publish virtually anything it wanted. The wrestler sued for invasion of privacy, but Gawker's lawyers dragged out the case, betting that Hogan -- who was nearly broke at the time -- would run out of money before he ever secured justice.
That's when conservative billionaire Peter Thiel stepped in to bankroll Hogan's lawsuit. With that financial support, Hogan finally had the resources to fight Gawker on equal footing. The result? A jury awarded him $140 million in damages, a verdict that forced Gawker into bankruptcy and knocked out one of the left's most vicious media attack dogs.
Ever since Hogan blazed the trail with his success against Gawker, ordinary Americans have increasingly turned to third-party funders -- who typically front the costs of a lawsuit in exchange for a share of any recovery -- for help taking on corporations with armies of lawyers.
This "third-party litigation funding" has proved especially vital for small businesses whose technologies have been stolen by Big Tech companies, which -- in addition to censoring conservatives and suppressing stories that'd damage liberal politicians -- have a habit of ripping off smaller rivals and then dragging out patent infringement lawsuits, hoping that the smaller firms will run out of money.
Entrenched corporate interests and their lobbying groups, like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have been trying to shut down this financial lifeline. And their chosen frontman is Sen. Thom Tillis, the North Carolina Republican who fought to sink President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill.
Tillis introduced a bill that'd impose a massive tax on the proceeds from any successful third-party financed lawsuits. The tax, plus the bill's disclosure requirements, would deter third-parties from offering this funding and could inadvertently dox conservative activists and donors. It's a thinly veiled attempt to deprive all Americans of a way to level the legal playing field.
Hulk Hogan's walkout music famously challenged us all to "fight for the rights of every man."
Congressional Republicans will soon face a choice: side with Big Tech or "take a stand" fighting for small inventors and conservative activists. We'll soon see whether those lawmakers want to be real Americans.
George Harris is the Publisher of Liberty Watch Magazine. A U.S. Army veteran, Harris is also a small business owner and a former chairman of the Clark County, Nevada, Republican Party. A longer version of this piece originally appeared in the DC Journal.
