Shirley Sherrod Plans To Sue Blogger Andrew Breitbart

Former U.S. Agriculture Department employee Shirley Sherrod announced on Thursday that she will pursue a lawsuit against conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart. Breitbart released a heavily edited tape of Sherrod speaking at a NAACP event which caused her comments to appear racist, and the post claimed it occurred when she was working for the USDA.

The click sparked a national controversy and a rush to judgment as news outlets quickly picked up the story. Within the period of a week, Sherrod was told to resign, received an official apology from the USDA when it was discovered the tape was edited, received a phone call from President Obama once the full text of her remarks came to light, and was offered a new job at the USDA. She then reunited with Roger Spooner who she helped while with the USDA.

The edited video clip of Sherrod made it appear she discriminated against a white farmer looking for assistance from the USDA. Sherrod's speech to the NAACP audience actually took place 24 years ago before she began working for the USDA. In the unedited version of her speech she discusses how the incident changed her outlook and made her realize people should move beyond race.

"I will definitely do it," Sherrod said when asked about taking legal action while at a National Association of Black Journalists convention. Breitbart "had to know that he was targeting me," she continued. "At this point, he hasn't apologized. I don't want it at this point, and he'll definitely hear from me."

"This was not about Shirley Sherrod," Breitbart told CNN's John KingJohn King. He has said he released the Sherrod video because he believes it shows the NAACP itself tolerates racist behavior within its ranks -- an accusation that came after the civil rights group made a similar charge against the conservative Tea Party movement.

President Obama said Thursday that Sherrod "deserves better than what happened last week.” Speaking at a conference in Washington, Obama called the claim of racism against her "bogus." "Many are to blame" for the reaction that followed "including my own administration,” he said.

Obama said he told Sherrod that he story "is exactly the kind of story we need to hear in America (because) we all have our biases."

To read more about Sherrod’s reunion with farmer Roger Spooner, see the Allvoices report Former USDA Employee Shirley Sherrod Reunites with Farmer.