Twitter has become a sewer where people make vile claims about others it he belief that they will remain anonymous. Thanks to James Woods and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mel Recana, that may start to change.  Eriq Gardner of the Hollywood Reporter writes:

James Woods has defied skeptics and gotten past an initial First Amendment hurdle in his provocative defamation lawsuit against an anonymous Twitter user who suggested he was a "cocaine addict."

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mel Recana has reviewedWoods' complaint against a "John Doe," as well as the defendant's motion to strike, and has decided to let the case proceed. As a result, despite Twitter's own resistance to discovery demands in this case, Woods will likely be given the green light to unmask the user known as "Abe List," whose social media profile identified him as a Harvard-educated partner at an L.A.-based private equity firm.

Woods sued for $10 million last July with word that "AL, and anyone else using social media to propagate lies and do harm, should take note. They are not impervious to the law."

If “Abe” is who he says he is, he may have the resources to cough up 10 mill. And unless he is in the Soros league, that’s gotta hurt. That is, assuming Woods is not a cocaine addict (which is pretty safe bet, I think).

Instead of resisting, Twitter should buy Woods a nice dinner. He is helping to rescue it from its decline. Instead of being a vehicle for hate, it has the opportunity to become useful. For a change.

Hat tip: iOTW Report