Dennis Kucinich Sues House Cafeteria

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Courthouse News Service

WASHINGTON (CN) - Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich says he suffered permanent injuries from biting an olive pit hidden in the sandwich wrap he bought at a House of Representatives cafeteria. He demands $150,000.

The former presidential hopeful sued Restaurant Associates, which operates the cafeteria in the Longworth Office Building, its parent company, Compass Group USA, and food suppliers Performance Food Group Co. and Foodbuy LLC.

Kucinich seeks damages for negligence, in Superior Court.

Kucinich says the cafeteria claimed that the sandwich had pitted olives, but after he bit the pit he "sustained serious and permanent dental and oral injuries requiring multiple surgical and dental procedures, and has sustained other damages as well, including significant pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment."

Read more: http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/01/26/33625.htm

[frazzled]

1. Oh no he d'int.

Loss of enjoyment?

[LaurenG]

2. I guess he thought the sandwich was the pits nt

[Fuddnik]

6. Have you ever eaten in that cafeteria?

It is the pits.

Better to go around the corner to Bullfeathers.

[Recursion]

32. The donuts used to be good

Though this was back in '93, which was before RA took over.

[Freddie Stubbs]

40. It wasn't too bad back in the late 90's

Their seafood chowder was amazing.

[Robb]

3. Reasonable amount.

Were I him I would've brought the case after I'd left the public eye, however. Perhaps there's a statute of limitations on this kind of suit?

[WingDinger]

4. He is bucking to become the lady who spilt coffee at McD's.

[Webster Green]

13. Gaddammit! Not this shit again!

That poor woman had 3rd degree burns over 16% of her body.

It is complete bullshit that her lawsuit was frivolous. There is a new documentary about the incident.

The documentary is called 'Hot Coffee'. It was featured on Democracy Now! yesterday, and recently premiered at Sundance. Part of the story on Democracy Now! was about how little the public knows about the actual incident, and how it was constantly cited as an example of frivolous law suits.

I copied some of this from my replies last night to another DUer who was also duped by predator corporations and other monsters, who used this incident to push their phony "tort reform" crap.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=273368&mesg_id=273397

Check out the link below. You can still edit your idiotic post.

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/1/25/do_you_know_the_f...

Don't believe everything you think!

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

21. Twice in 2 days I've seen this shit. She just wanted them to cover the medical expenses McDonald's

wouldn't pay. They were the ones who wanted to go to trial. Then the right wing used this shit to push so called tort reform. Amazing how so many of us including me were duped.

[Webster Green]

24. Yeah, I didn't know the whole story till yesterday.

I was listening to democracy Now! while driving my truck, and got so fucking enraged at what they did to that woman. Fucking unbelievable!

I guess I should lighten up on the DUers who post this crap, because it was a very successful propaganda effort by the scumbags.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

26. This needs to be said over and over. It seems like a drop in the bucket but

all of us need to do our part in countering bullshit corporate propaganda.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Riftaxe]

43. So there is no truth to the lawsuit?

on edit: Superior Court of District of Columbia - Civil Action No. 0000075-11

When you said propaganda i assumed the Article linked in the OP, not your denial of the reality that article linked in the OP is factually accurate.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

52. Who are you replying to? nt

[Mojeoux]

97. The lady had to have multiple operations!!!!! nt

[WingDinger]

27. I know the story. And he will be pidgeonholed as the princess, and the pea.

Sure the lady needed many operations to her private areas. And Kucinich is in pain, and needing operations. Those are not the aspects that are paid attention to, when it is made an urban myth. They will make Kucinich the ultimate opportunist ambulance chaser type vindictive lawyer.

[LanternWaste]

55. I imagine Urban Myths depend on individuals to push the idea...

I imagine Urban Myths depend on individuals to push the idea that it is indeed, an urban myth. Good job on that.




"hey will make Kucinich the ultimate opportunist ambulance chaser type vindictive lawyer..."

"They" will make anyone into anything based on nothing as long as it suits their agendas, regardless of who does what.

[No Elephants]

70. To the ignorant and/or biased, maybe.

[uncle ray]

33. scolding other DUers for not knowing what you just learned yesterday?

yes you should lighten up.

[Webster Green]

48. Well, it seemed the posts were an attempt at humor.

Yesterday I found out just how horrible the incident was, and the disgusting corporate response. It pisses me off.

Sorry.

[BonnieJW]

29. I agree Webster.

I saw the photos that were taken of her legs in the ER. It looked like she had been barbequed.

[Romulox]

35. Agree with this post, and just want to add that this doesn't make Dennis' C.O.A. legit

The "McDonald's coffee lady" suffered considerably worse injury than what Kucinich is alleging, that's for sure. She had an entirely legitimate claim against McDonald's, without question. That doesn't mean that Dennis does, though. :shrug:

[csziggy]

46. +100000000000000000000

[rfranklin]

16. don't think she deserved it? do a little research...

The sweatpants Liebeck was wearing absorbed the coffee and held it next to her skin. A vascular surgeon determined that Liebeck suffered full thickness burns (or third-degree burns) over 6 percent of her body, including her inner thighs, perineum, buttocks, and genital and groin areas. She was hospitalized for eight days, during which time she underwent skin grafting. Liebeck, who also underwent debridement treatments, sought to settle her claim for $20,000, but McDonalds refused....


The trial court subsequently reduced the punitive award to $480,000 -- or three times compensatory damages -- even though the judge called McDonalds' conduct reckless, callous and willful.


http://www.lectlaw.com/files/cur78.htm

[LanternWaste]

54. Six of one, half a dozen of the other...

And I imagine you're bucking to become the poster with the Most Absurd Thought Of the Day, yes?

(Six of one, half a dozen of the other)

[molly77]

60. MSM did a number on the woman who burnt herself with McDonalds coffee

There was a movie made called hot coffee. Amy Goodman had the niece of the victim on her show this week.

The woman never regained her strength.The cup melted , the coffee was so hot. The family wanted help with medical bills but McDonalds did not want to pay. The jury awarded the huge money. Lot more to that story than I realized. The corporations seem to be able to make things up and get by with it in the US.

[greiner3]

61. How about Glenn Beck's suit against a hospital

That had the audacity to give him '2nd' rate care?

Go Dennis. I hope you get 10 times that much at the trial.

[1monster]

63. The woman asked McDonalds to cover the medical costs that her insurance would not pay.

About $20,000. McDonalds refused. They forced her to either eat the costs of the medical plus lost wages for being unable to work.

So she took them to court suing for the medical, legal fees, and lost wages.

The jury found her partially responsible, but McDonalds mostly responsible. They awarded her a reasonable amount of damages.

Then they took on McDonalds for carelessly disregarding the safety of their coffee drinking customers. McDonalds had been sued for injuries ensuing from the outrageously high temperatures of their coffee over 700 times before. In their arrogance, they saw the court cases as a business expense. The costs of those lawsuits were such paltry amounts they the continued keeping the coffee extremely hot, not for the flavor value as they claimed, but because it kept the coffee tasting fresh for as long as there was coffee in the pot. They were able to save huge amounts of money by not throwing out coffee that was two, three, or four hours old coffee and making a new pot.

The jury decided to send a message to McDonalds: Lower the temperature of the coffee or pay the consequenses. Even as it was, the amount the jury awarded (which was lowered drastically in appeals) was only about two days coffee profit for McDonalds.

I worked at McDonalds many mnay years ago (over 30 years ago) when I was in college. The coffee was so hot then that I used to automatically add a courtesy cup of ice with any coffee order.

Personally, I wish that McDonalds had been forced to pay the entire $2.7 million.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

66. Thank you. That's exactly what happened. nt

[fishwax]

78. +1

:thumbsup:

[Turborama]

93. No, he's bucking to be the "Olive Pip Guy", which will rightfully supersede the "Coffee Lady" meme

It seems.

[ButterflyBlood]

113. People need to find another poster child for frivolous lawsuits

Since there's a ton more frivolous ones.

[Frank Booth]

9. $150,000 is a reasonable amount for biting into an olive pit?

I can't imagine the dental work cost anything near that. This just makes Kucinich look ridiculous.

[Robb]

39. I suppose I have no idea. I know dental surgery is expensive, though.

Presumably you aim high and get talked down in court?

Again, though, K's an idiot for bringing this right now.

[LanternWaste]

56. I imagine that heavily depends on who's doing the looking.

"This just makes Kucinich look ridiculous...."

I imagine that heavily depends on who's doing the looking. :shrug:

[No Elephants]

71. What you can or cannot imagine is not a legal standard. Besides, people are entitled to

compensation for pain.

He'll either be able to prove his damage or not.

[Frank Booth]

87. Yeah, but actual damages are governed by legal standards.

I'd be very surprised if those exceeded $20,000. A plaintiff can always claim pain and suffering, but more often than not it's used as a chip to try to grease settlement. Honestly, this lawsuit makes Kucinich look like someone who's trying to profit through the legal system. The lawsuit's probably not frivolous, but (to me anyway) it seems like it's in bad taste.

[Rebubula]

5. OK...

..I know this suit was brought by his lawyer (and they can be aggressive by nature) but Come on, Dennis!

You have the best healthcare that anyone can have and have benefits (food, living, travel etc) that no normal person will ever enjoy. Yeah - so you but into a pit - $150,000 REALLY???????????????????????????????????????????

I still like him, but this is disappointing.

[lumberjack_jeff]

7. Seriously? This isn't The Onion?

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Owl]

20. My thoughts as well.

[Freddie Stubbs]

30. That was my thought at first, but it appears to be a legitimate website

[Romulox]

10. I've lost a great deal of respect for this man over the past few years.

:puke:

[Catherina]

11. Nice of you to leave out the important information

"sustained serious and permanent dental and oral injuries requiring multiple surgical and dental procedures,"

[Romulox]

12. That's legal boilerplate. nt

[Broderick]

18. Goodness he has a forceful bite

Needs to sink his teeth into the lack of progressive leadership up there...

[WheelWalker]

104. +1 x ten to the 99th

[Freddie Stubbs]

31. Who left that information out?

[Catherina]

37. My apologies. I thought it wasn't there the first time I read it. Sorry n/t

[cottonseed]

64. If he put as much energy into writing 1 actual law as he did biting a sandwich.

He'd be a pretty good congressman.

[Mimosa]

92. Catherina, having experienced friends & family's encounters with stuff in food,..

I just can't buy the $150,000 claim. That must've been a depleted uranium super duper pit to cause such extreme pain and suffering.

And my GF some years ago split a tooth on a fairly big hunk of oyster shell. $995. Her 60 + father split a soft old tooth on an uncooked grain of rice or 2. That was about $1,300. Sure dental accidents cause a bit of inconvenience, but I've never heard of any amounting to such a ridiculous sum.

In the past 4 years my partner and i have had lots of dental work done out of our own unrecompensed pockets. Between us both we haven't spent more than $12,000 including replacing old briges. And having minor sugeries and root canals.

That Dennis must have some crushing bionic bite!

[Catherina]

99. I concur, at first glance it seems a little high but if the damage is extensive

required multiple surgeries and there are legal commissions, I can understand. Plus the suit is against three different companies he alleges were all negligeant. The suit said that the his dental and oral injuries injuries are permanent. There may be more to the story than's being reported because part of the lawsuit is that their food is "unwholesome and unfit for human consumption" and "contained dangerous substances."

The sandwich incident happened three years before Kucinich filed the lawsuit. That combined with the fact that he's suing four different companies, all involved in supplying cafeteria food, leads me to believe there's more to this lawsuit than just a leftover olive pit.

Do you remember how people laughed and sneered at Stella Liebeck? http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x282734

:hi:

[Myrina]

14. Oh Dennis ... really?

Sigh. Stop it, you're turning into Nader. :(

[No Elephants]

72. And we hate safer autos.

[alphafemale]

15. Sorry. A olive pit is a possible reality in anything with olives.

Same as the occasional pit in a cherry pie.

It would be unreasonable to expect staff to inspect every olive in the cans or jars when they are prepping food for the day.

There's no negligence here.

[No Elephants]

73. How do you know they used canned olives? How do you know they used pitted olives, canned or not?

[alphafemale]

77. What would they use other than canned or jarred olives.?

Have you ever seen olives for sale in any other way?

And you think a restaurant would serve pitted olives in a pita?

Not within the realms of consideration.

It was an unfortunate incident. The restaurant was not negligent.

[NV Whino]

17. Having bitten down on an olive pit myself

and suffered dental damage and continuing jaw problems, this is not unreasonable. Note: I made past the first olive pit, because I never take pitted olives in a salad for granted, but it was the second one that got me.

[Festivito]

47. Certainly it's the ongoing problem that triggers this as a larger concern.

I hope you are able to well deal with your own situation. Thank you for adding your story.

[Skittles]

88. just how hard do you bite?

[NV Whino]

98. A human jaw clamps down pretty damn hard

I couldn't find specifics, but here's a general article that gives you an idea. It's the efficiency of the musculature that controls the bite.
http://news.discovery.com/human/human-bite.html

[montanto]

19. Wow, when I think of all the

$150,000s I could have had from biting into stuff that shouldn't have been in my food . . .

Isn't that a risk that you agree to take when you eat something that you didn't prepare yourself, Dennis? Christ what a bunch of children we are. Recently I bit into an olive pit from a container of pitted olives that I purchased. Another $150,000 down the drain because I fear that not every contingency can possibly be covered in delivering 100% safe food products, and my internal sense of morality and ethics forbids me from blaming others when I have clearly taken a shortcut out of necessity. Meanwhile back at the ranch I can't even afford to go to the dentist for normal procedures.

[hayu_lol]

23. Tell the kitchen staff that Dennis is not to ever get...

the peach cobbler.

[Mimosa]

91. Or brownies (nut shells) or oysters, or any 'grownup' foods.

Jello, puddings, macaroni and cheeese, creamed soup. No chicken or pulled pork with bones (he might choke) or sausages (sausages sometimes have bone nubs in them). *lol*

We've got to make prepared foods safe for our vulnerable Congressmen.

BTW, I bet our Congresscritters have a good dental plan. Unlike the serfs.

[Turborama]

96. I laughed out loud at "'grownup' foods"

:rofl:

[Psephos]

51. Two thumbs, way up. n/t

[XemaSab]

69. That's why most products made with olives have a WARNING

"May contain occasional pit." :P

[No Elephants]

74. I've never seen that warning, let alone on a salad.

[Codeine]

94. From the jar in my fridge.

I've never seen an olive product without such a warning.

[BrightKnight]

114. All cafeterias should require a food damage waiver form.

If you don't sign the release form you can't order food. They could hire the Soup Nazi guy to enforce it: "...No soup for you. Come back one year."

[robcon]

22. I like Kucinich even less now.

I always thought his "Department of Peace" recommendation was the single stupidest proposal I've ever heard, so I didn't like him.

[udbcrzy2]

25. My cousin is an attorney

He sue everyone he does business with.

[No Elephants]

76. For no reason? Are you implying all lawyers do that? If not, what's your point?

[udbcrzy2]

79. Oh, I hurt your feelings....

I never said that 'all lawyers do that'. This particular one that I do know does. Some people who are not attorneys do too:) What Judge would let this be heard in court?

[Recursion]

34. This will help us keep the GOP from passing tort reform. Not.

:facepalm:

[wisteria]

36. Oh come on, is this for real? If it is, he goes too far.

If he is actually doing this, I am shocked. Let them pick up his dental bills, but the pain and suffering is BS. Hey shit happens. Was the cafateria suppose to inspect every olive to ensure it was pitted?

[Roy Rolling]

38. bad choice

He should have stuck to a "freedom fries" diet

[Bumblebee]

41. Maybe now it will hurt fewer people's feelings when he is redistricted out

Or maybe it's connected...

[Cal Carpenter]

42. Unless his health insurance

is refusing to cover the bills this is ridiculous. Olives have pits. Whenever you buy olives there is a caveat - may contain pits or pit fragments. The cafeteria is not negligent, imo, but I suppose that's for the court to decide.

My 2 cents, regardless of the context or the person involved.

[EFerrari]

50. I was thinking his insurance co probably is refusing to cover his costs

unless he does sue.

[MellowDem]

44. Wow...

hard to take Dennis seriously, which was already hard to do.

People want this guy to be President?

[Bette Noir]

45. The usual standard is that one can't expect damages when the offending object

originated in the food. If it were a screw, or a piece of machinery, he could expect a settlement. As olive pits come from olives, and he knew there were olives in the food, he doesn't have much of a case.

Besides, don't Federal employees have dental insurance?

[AlinPA]

49. Curious- do republicans and Democrats eat in the same room or is there a divider between them? nt

[Plucketeer]

57. Who could eat...

with a Republican in the room??? :puke:





Hey kid! How's that
Boehner jobs plan
workin' for ya???

[slackmaster]

53. Assassination attempt?

:shrug:

[redixdoragon]

58. I fear for the worker,

The one making maybe 8 maybe 10 an hour there if they're lucky, who put the sandwich together. Once Kucinich threw the fit, it's likely they were tugged aside told a few things about lack of professionalism and care in the workplace and then fired. Now another is out of a job and has to find one in the DC area.

[redixdoragon]

59. Also

They may talk like they're on our side but then you get news like this, and you feel everyone up there belongs to the same elite club. All we get is the occasional bone.

[bongbong]

62. 2 points

1) On the "excesive" $150,000 claim - tort attorneys always ALWAYS ask for more than they expect to win or even think is appropriate. Then they hope to settle out of court for the amount they actually wanted. Both sides always know this. It's part of the "lawyer dance".

2) Some - SOME - lawsuits are won yet frivolous. One of the stories surrounding the handle-activated-blade-clutch on all lawn mowers is that it appeared after somebody used his pre-blade-clutch lawnmower as a hedge trimmer (holding it sideways by the housing). He lost his fingers, DUH, sued and won. Now everybody gets to pay for his mistake via more complicated lawn mowers.

I'm not saying Dennis' lawsuit is frivolous. Especially after reviewing the facts of the infamous McDonalds coffee case.

[cottonseed]

65. Is this doing the people's work?

[deacon]

67. Dumb. n/t

[BeyondGeography]

68. Whaa?

[No Elephants]

75. Not sure this is winnable, unless cafeteria used unpitted olives.

[Mimosa]

90. Pitting machines may miss a couple pits from 2 or 3 thousand olives, or cherries.

And many is the time I've made brownies or pecan pie and caught a chunk of shell in the cup of bagged nuts I was using. Commercial kitchens try diligently to sort by hand (usually gloved) through foods which may have bits of shell (like clams or oysters, nuts, olives, et cetera, but commercial restaurant kitchens are dealing in great volumes of ingredients.

Who hasn't bitten into an olive or cherry pit? Or people who eat oysters have to be careful of bits of shell. It's to be expected in natural foods. But to want $150,000 is greedy. Why not just ask for the cost of the dental repair? There is no way Kucinich's dental repair cost anywhere near that. A dear friend in New Orleans once bit too enthusiastically into a fried oyster po-boy sandwich. There was a hard bit of shell in it and one of her teeth split. It cost $995 to file it down and cap it. For a while my GF was shy of Po-boys, but in about a year she resumed eating 'em and NEVER again had a problem because she was careful not to eat too fast or bite too hard.


A muffaletta is an extremely popular sandwich in New Orleans. It is made with Italian cold cuts, cheese and dressed with a dense chopped olive relish. I think people used to eating olives in any foodstuffs make a hapit of not chomping down too hard. BTW, I've a close friend who cracked a tooth while eating a fried oyster po-boy sandwich. There's a 'natural substances' law in Louisiana to protect restaurant owners from being sued when people come across oyster shells, olive pits and other parts which might show up in foods. Even with due diligence, it's not possible to make sure every food item every time won't have pits, seeds, whatever.

I guess because of Kucinich that food supplier will no longer serve olives in any sandwiches or salads.That's a pity. We who love mediterrannnean foods can handle olives!

A muffaletta:



And here's another factor: some people's natural teeth become softer with age. I knew a man in his early 60s whose back tooth fissured when he bit an uncooked grain or two of rice while we were dining at a Greek restaurant. One expects rice to be soft, but apparentlt some grains did not get integrated into the pot. And since the fellow was on vacation, the split tooth was even more of an inconvenience. There had been six of us at the table. He didn't tell us what happened until after we'd left the restaurant. It was a crummy experience, but he never thought to sue the restaurant.

We live in a litigious society. Once I slipped and sprained my ankle on an uneven tree root broken sidewalk in front of the New Orleans Museum of Art. I had to go to the doctor because it was a bad sprain. But I never thought to sue the museum. Life is full of the unexpected, isn't it?

[harvey007]

80. Kucinich has a legitimate cause of action

"serious and permanent dental and oral injuries requiring multiple surgical and dental procedures"

"significant pain, suffering."

[Psephos]

81. What happened to Kucinich?

Seriously.

I used to admire him.

[Bluebear]

82. So what's your beef with this? Why is he not admirable anymore? Just curious.

[Psephos]

83. The facts are pretty simple here.

You either think that a progressive Congressman suing a cafeteria for $150K over an olive pit is admirable, or you don't.

[ironrooster]

84. Neither you nor I know the facts or the extent of damage

to his mouth and teeth. What if he had to have an implant? What if a session of oral surgery was botched? What if he
has diabetes and consequently his tissue doesn't heal as it should?

You are merely assuming the amount is unreasonable without knowing the full story.

[Name removed]

86. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MrsBrady]

85. i'd say this is a reasonable request.

he's suing for a reasonable amount.

business needs to be accountable for their actions.
they need to sell what they say they are selling.

[Mimosa]

89. Bad idea to serve grownup foods like olives to children or elderly! *LOL!*

Who hasn't bitten into an olive or cherry pit? Or people who eat oysters have to be careful of bits of shell. It's to be expected in natural foods. Maybe if Kucinich hadn't bitten down unusually hard he wouldn't have busted a cap. But to want $150,000 is greedy. Why not just ask for the cost of the dental repair? And waiting nearly 2 years after the fact? *hmm...*



A muffaletta is an extremely popular sandwich in New Orleans. It is made with Italian cold cuts, cheese and dressed with a dense chopped olive relish. I think people used to eating olives in any foodstuffs make a hapit of not chomping down too hard. BTW, I've a close friend who cracked a tooth while eating a fried oyster po-boy sandwich. There's a law in Louisiana to protect restaurant owners from being sued when people come across oyster shells, olive pits and other parts which might show up in foods. Try as one might, being careful as possible, it's not possible to make sure every food item every time won't have pits, seeds, whatever.

I guess because of Kucinich the cafeteria food supplier will no longer serve olives in any sandwiches or salads.
A muffaletta:



And here's another factor: many people's natural teeth become softer with age. I knew a man in his early 60s whose back tooth fissured when he bit an uncooked grain or two of rice while we were dining at a Greek restaurant. One expects rice to be soft, but apparently some grains did not get integrated into the pot. Since the fellow was on vacation, the split tooth was even more of an inconvenience. There had been six of us at the table. He didn't tell us what happened until after we'd left the restaurant. It was a crummy experience, but he never thought to sue the restaurant.

We live in a litigious society. Once I slipped and sprained my ankle on an uneven broken sidewalk in front of the New Orleans Museum of Art. I had to go to the doctor because it was a bad sprain. But I never thought to sue the museum. Life is full of the unexpected, isn't it?

[Le Taz Hot]

95. So, we know he won't be running

in the primaries again.

[Broderick]

102. He might lose his district

to redistricting. This might be pre-emptive to another presidential run. Start-up cashhhhhh.

[Mimosa]

105. That's the truth. But what's his pension? $65K annually + benefits?

Or more?

He's going to get at least $60K a year + health benefits for THE REST OF HIS LIFE!

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/congresspay.htm

[Broderick]

107. Nice gig

if ya can get it....

[dipsydoodle]

100. Maybe he thought he wasn't going to get to eat

[crazyjoe]

101. What an idiot, isn't his free insurance enough?

[Broderick]

103. You discount

the value of 150K

[crazyjoe]

106. what does kucinich need with 150K ? People are laughing and it

hurts his credibility moving forward.

[Broderick]

108. Its a real head scratcher on the surface of things no doubt

[Democat]

115. It makes both him and his party look stupid.

Stupid move.

[Xenotime]

109. Since the pugs have the House....let them pay for it.

[BrightKnight]

110. I found a bone in my fish and I want a new house.

This is idiotic and political suicide. Did the aliens tell him to do this? Has he been taking a lot of pain medicine?

[Violet_Crumble]

111. That's nothing at all like what the OP is about...

Why should anyone buy you a new house? That's ridiculous. On the other hand, Dennis Kucinich sustained an injury from biting into a wrap that contained an olive pit. Why should he have to foot the bill for his medical or dental expenses? Because some people don't like him? That's not a reason why he can't make the same claim anyone else should. Or do you think that someone like my niece who's got a severe peanut allergy shouldn't sue a restaurant if they said a dish was free of traces of nuts and instead it had them and she had a severe reaction that ended up with her being hospitalised?

There's frivolous lawsuits, which seem to be a common thing in the US, and then there's sensible ones, like the one in the OP. I'm not sure why anyone would think otherwise...

[Kingofalldems]

112. Dennis wins!! Yeah!!

[SOS]

116. Cost of crown: $1,500

$150,000 - $1,500 = $148,500

Dennis is an inspiration.
Using his strategy I can get my busted molar fixed and spend next Christmas in St. Barts.

[Cowboy X]

117. If GOP tort reform is passed

I know who to blame.

[KamaAina]

118. Why didn't he just go to the Regional American stall in the House food court?

Always a highlight of a Hill visit for me, whether it's Cajun pork or good old Midwestern grilled trout.

Anyway, props to Dennis for being one of the few members tp actually -- gasp! -- eat down there with the staffers and tourists! I believe I've seen exactly one member the three times I've been there.