I like being an independent blogger. When I make a mistake, I own up to it. There’s no editor to shut me up. The downside is no editor to make sure I don’t make the mistake in the first place. Another downside is that if you spend much time doing this, you might be able to make some money, but you certainly aren’t going to make a “living wage” which is so important to progressives, unless it comes to conservative bloggers. They prefer that we all just hurry up and die.

Anyway, I guess if you get hired by one of the bigger sites you may enjoy a nice salary and perhaps even some benefits. But our side isn’t financed by the likes of George Soros, so I suspect the “benefits” are few and far between. It looks like Dana Loesch, who is quite talented, found that out the hard way.

OK, now having skimmed over the lawsuit, the claim is that in October 2011, Breitbart.com failed to exercises its option to renew Dana’s contract for another year, so that her employment thereafter was on a month-to-month basis. In September of this year — perhaps having been offered better terms by another site — Dana gave a month’s notice of her intent to leave Breitbart.com, at which point management claimed that she was still contractually bound to the company, and threatened legal action against any company that hired Dana.

Four word come to minds: Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.

Without regard for contracts, it is just plain nuts for Breitbart.com to try to keep Dana if Dana wants to leave. What is this, the Mafia or something, where once you’re in, you’re in for life?

Frankly, I’ve never heard of anything like this before. It simply doesn’t make sense: If, as Dana alleges, Breitbart.com no longer wants to publish her writing, why would they prevent her from taking her work elsewhere? If her services are not valuable to them, why deny her the right to find another publisher who might value her services more? (Read More)

Note to new bloggers: If you think you’re going to work for anyone out there besides yourself make sure you get a contract and have it looked over by a lawyer. If our own side is doing this to our own side, anything is possible. Make sure you protect yourself.  I don’t think Andrew Breitbart would have treated his friends this way, but unfortunately, he is not available for comment.

Update: Linked by The First Street Journal – thanks!