Bigger Bitch Susan Bassi? Bigger Than Kyle’s Mom?

Coast-to-Coast Media Feud Erupts as Family Court Corruption Journalists Trade Barbs, Legal Threats, and Explosive Accusations.

By Dick LaFontaine with Richard Luthmann

Abuse Case Snubbed by ‘Crusading’ Journalist Sparks Feud

A cross-country clash has ignited between California reporter Susan Bassi and Florida-based journalist Richard Luthmann over a disturbing family court abuse case.

At the center is another reporter, Julie Holburn’s plea for coverage of her children’s abuse – a case involving allegations that Costa Mesa police withheld evidence to protect corrupt family court players.

Bassi, who built her reputation exposing family court injustices, shockingly refused to report Holburn’s story, citing her “standing policy” not to cover “litigants or ex spouses” – claiming it “serves no legitimate purpose” and could invite defamation.

Holburn was stunned by the position of Bassi, a self-styled “Public Records and Local News Advocate.”

Bassi had followed her case for years and even witnessed raw video of the children’s abuse as it was happening, according to Holburn. But still, she would not cover the story.

When it came time to shine a light, Bassi went dark.

The snub exposed a glaring bias: Bassi has personal ties to Holburn’s adversaries. Holburn pointed out Bassi’s friendship with Christi Black, a figure Holburn says inserted herself into the case under false pretenses and leaked information to Holburn’s ex-husband’s attorney.

Bassi was told of Black’s alleged schemes back in January, emails show. Still, Bassi distanced herself, and Holburn’s story remained in the shadows.

The normally outspoken Bassi had gone silent on a dire case where Holburn’s children were chased, attacked, and held “hostage” by their father, a man Holburn calls a “serial abuser” with a decade-long trail of restraining order violations.

For Holburn and her kids, it felt like betrayal. For Richard Luthmann, a “tough guy” investigative reporter known for bulldog tactics, it was a call to arms.

War of Words: “Not in Florida!” – Legal Threats Fly

The feud exploded in an email firefight and public statements that read like a heavyweight bout. Susan Bassi privately derided Richard Luthmann, telling colleagues that his “practices do not reflect the standards of legitimate journalism.”

Sources say she essentially dismissed him as a rogue operator, not a true reporter. Here is what she said:

On Friday, August 8th, 2025 at 12:07 AM, Susan Bassi <gilroybassi@gmail.com> wrote:

Mr. Luthman, [sic]

You recently copied me on an email that was both unwelcome and inappropriate. Your subsequent response has now crossed the line into defamation and harassment.

Of everyone included in your correspondence, I believe I am the only one who has ever been a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. As such, I do not consider your views on journalistic ethics credible or relevant. Additionally, I have been an active member of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) since 2017. To my knowledge, neither you nor your associates have demonstrated comparable training or professional experience.

For the record: I initially worked with Robert Hansen. He recorded one of my sources without that person’s knowledge or consent—an unlawful and unethical act. He also revealed the name of another confidential source without permission during an appearance on Mr. Volope’s podcast. As a result, I terminated my association with Mr. Hansen, after which he began working with Ms. Holburn.

Ms. Holburn has since contacted me and my colleagues excessively, seeking media coverage of her personal divorce case. We declined. Basic journalistic ethics prohibit reporting on one’s own legal matters or using public records requests for personal purposes.

How I earn income to support my journalism is not your concern. That said, I understand that you and your associates charge individuals to present one-sided accounts of their family court matters. You are of course free to do so, but such practices do not reflect the standards of legitimate journalism.

You are now blocked from all of my social media accounts. Do not contact me again by email or any other means.

Susan Bassi
Publisher, Investigative Journalist

Luthmann shot back with open fury. “What a stupid bitch! Have you ever seen someone so stupid and bitchy all at once? She’s a bigger bitch than Kyle’s mom on South Park,” Luthmann said with a belly-laugh.

Then came the legal armaments. He served Bassi with a litigation notice and warned in no uncertain terms that she should “not step foot in Florida.”

According to the Donald Trump-loving Luthmann, if Bassi dares show up on his home turf, she’ll be slapped with a lawsuit on the spot. The escalation was swift and personal. Here’s what he said:

From: Richard Luthmann <richard.luthmann@protonmail.com>
Date: On Friday, August 8th, 2025 at 5:39 AM
Subject: Florida Statute 770.01 Notice
To: Susan Bassi <gilroybassi@gmail.com>
CC: Michael Volpe <mvolpe998@gmail.com>, Frank Parlato <frankparlato@gmail.com>, Frankie Pressman <frankiepressman@protonmail.com>, Rick LaRivière <RickLaRiviere@proton.me>, Dick LaFontaine <RALafontaine@protonmail.com>, Modern Thomas Nast <mthomasnast@protonmail.com>, juliea005 <juliea005@proton.me>, Maryann Petri <maryannpetri3@gmail.com>, juliemholburn@yahoo.com <juliemholburn@yahoo.com>, Michael Phillips <mikethunderphillips@gmail.com>, Paul Boyne <paboyne@gmail.com>, Jill Jones-Soderman <director@fcvfc.org>

Susan,

Let’s set the record straight.

1. You are a self-righteous, elitist trollop. (Opinion)

2. You cover, inter alia, court corruption and family court matters in California. (Fact)

3. You have a documented historical problem with Julie Holburn. (Fact)

4. Your problem with Julie Holburn is unreasonable, unjustified, and driven by malice and animus, both professionally and personally. (Fact)

5. Your problem with Julie Holburn blinds you to certain serious issues of actual corruption in California, where you purport to operate. (Fact)

6. TikTok is owned by the Chinese Communist Party and is banned by law for many purposes in Florida and elsewhere (Fact)

7. You concede that you receive money from TikTok to produce content. (Fact)

If you want to sue me, have at it. It won’t be my first rodeo. But you won’t. You’re too busy virtue signalling, using your views on “journalistic ethics” as both a sword and a shield. See 1. Your head is so far up your own ass, you deserve a Pulitzer Prize. (Opinion)

Though it’s questionable whether the Pulitzer will still be around once President Trump is finished with them. (Fact)

Oh, and by the way, this statement BY YOU is actually false, defamatory, and actionable:

“That said, I understand that you and your associates charge individuals to present one-sided accounts of their family court matters. You are of course free to do so, but such practices do not reflect the standards of legitimate journalism.”

Pursuant to Florida law, any person who has been defamed has the right to demand a retraction of false statements. I am writing to notify you that the statements you made, stated above and below, which were made on or about August 8, 2025, through email, are false and defamatory.

Florida law suggests that falsely claiming a reporter accepts bribes to write certain content constitutes defamation per se. See Turner v. Wells, No. 16-15692 (11th Cir. 2018); Paulson v. Cosmetic Dermatology, Inc., Case No. 17-20094-CIV-Scola, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88031 (S.D. Fla. June 8, 2017).

Under Florida Statute Section 770.01, I demand that you retract these statements in writing within 10 days of receiving this notice. The retraction should be made in the same manner and to the same extent as the original defamatory statements were communicated.

Please be advised that failure to retract these statements within the prescribed time period will result in my pursuit of legal action for defamation. You should be aware that I am prepared to seek damages for the harm caused to my reputation, as well as any associated legal costs and fees.

You will be promptly served with papers the next time you set foot in the State of Florida. Have fun in San FranSicko, with the rest of the blue-haired wokesters, in the Land of Fruits and Nuts. (Opinion)

Normally, I would not sue another reporter. However, your heinous actions against Julie Holburn, justified by a warped sense of “ethics,” while ignoring the larger issues of transparency, press access, and government corruption, make it clear that you are a problem. (Opinion)

Also, your fawning admiration for TikTok and by extension its Chinese Communist Party controllers is similarly problematic. (Fact)

You opened the door to how I take money, defaming me with language that I operate in my profession in a manner that smacks of taking bribes. (Fact)

The litigation will explore how you take money. By accepting money from TikTok, you are engaged in kompromat, as the app is controlled by ByteDance, a company controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This creates a scenario where these financial incentives influence your actions, policies, or public opinion in favor of CCP interests, thereby compromising your personal and enterprise integrity. (Legal Claim)

Florida law prohibits the use of applications developed or maintained by foreign countries of concern—specifically China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and Venezuela—on government-issued devices and networks, including those used by public education institutions. See Fla. S.B. 258 (2023), ch. 2023-32, § 1, available at https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/258. (Matter of Law)

And the irony is lost on no one that you are shouting “Ethics, Ethics, Ethics” from the highest mountaintop given your affiliation with Davis Vanguard and its questionable practices. (Fact)

https://californiaglobe.com/articles/new-irs-complaint-against-non-profit-davis-vanguard-news-service/

https://davisvanguard.org/author/susanbassi/

You’ve studied and reported on DARVO. (Fact)

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHSO_UnpWge/

Susan, aren’t your claims about me clearly DARVO?

If you engage in DARVO, doesn’t that breach your “journalistic ethics”?

As to DARVO, “such practices do not reflect the standards of legitimate journalism,” correct?

You have problems. And from problems, we can only demand one thing:

Maybe you belong on the Pulitzer Board. (Opinion)

Thank you for your attention to this matter!

Regards,

Richard Luthmann
Writer, Journalist, and Commentator

In an earlier scathing email to Costa Mesa Police, Luthmann made clear he was through playing nice.

“You are not a judge,” he admonished a police supervisor who had sided with Bassi’s allies and refused records. “That’s a separation of powers issue, and frankly, it’s above your pay grade.”

Demanding transparency, Luthmann ordered the immediate release of all records related to the Holburn case “without further delay.” He put Costa Mesa PD on notice that “multiple journalists and outlets are now monitoring your response,” pointedly writing that this was their chance to “demonstrate transparency – or double down on obstruction.”

Bassi, included on the CC line, bristled at Luthmann’s bold approach. The California publisher – famed for crusading against family court corruption – suddenly portrayed herself as a victim of harassment:

On Thursday, August 7th, 2025 at 12:26 PM, Susan Bassi <gilroybassi@gmail.com> wrote:

Please take me off this thread. I am not associated with and do not work with Julie Holburn. I have no idea who this is to or what it is about. It is not related to any of our reporting and it is not how we do records requests.

Luthmann called out Bassi immediately:

On Thu, Aug 7, 2025 at 9:47 AM Richard Luthmann <richard.luthmann@protonmail.com> wrote:

Thanks, Susan.

Do you have any comment about how you don’t stick up for other journalists, particularly those who cover family court corruption in California?

Or about how you prefer the CCP-owned TikTok platform’s “monetization scheme” to all others? Are you a party to the subversion plan, or just one of their полезные дураки, to borrow a term from Lenin?

Do you know what the term компромат refers to?

🎤

Regards,

Richard Luthmann
Writer, Journalist, and Commentator

Luthmann says Bassi’s personal history with Holburn has caused her to “abandon her claimed principles.”

“You are not welcome to send trolls on social media to attack and harass me… That is where you crossed the line,” Bassi snapped in an earlier email to Holburn, after Holburn publicly called out Bassi’s inaction.

Bassi even threatened Luthmann with legal action: “Do not contact me again or I will seek the appropriate remedy,” she wrote, citing what she called the “harassing and defamatory nature” of their communications.

The war of words had begun, with Bassi accusing Holburn of smearing her, and Luthmann charging Bassi with abandoning a victim to protect herself.

Hypocrisy Exposed: TikTok Ties, Nonprofit Lies, and DARVO Defense

Luthmann says Bassi’s behavior reeks of hypocrisy and cover-up. He notes that Bassi typically champions victims of court abuse – but when Holburn begged for help, Bassi balked, allegedly to shield her friends and reputation.

Luthmann didn’t hesitate to cry foul. He blasted Bassi’s ethical lapses, claiming she engaged in DARVO – “deny, attack, and reverse victim and offender” – by painting herself as the harassed victim while Holburn and her kids suffer.

Indeed, emails show Bassi angrily attacking Holburn’s credibility and slamming Holburn’s supporters, all while insisting her own conduct was above reproach.

Holburn, while under serious personal assault, acted with poise and professionalism.

Luthmann also pointed to what he calls Bassi’s “kompromat” with the CCP, highlighting her embrace of TikTok in her reporting. Bassi has eagerly leveraged TikTok-fueled stories like the viral Kassenoff family court saga, and Holburn’s children even took to TikTok to plead for help, describing how their father choked and abused them.

Luthmann suggests Bassi’s admitted and substantial revenue sources from a platform “linked to the Chinese Communist Party” taint her integrity.

In addition, Bassi’s dual role as journalist and nonprofit executive at the Davis Vanguard News Group is under scrutiny. As a Vanguard board member, Bassi wields donor money and editorial power – a combination Luthmann calls ripe for 501(c)(3) abuse.

Internal emails back him up: Bassi herself demanded that an unfavorable Holburn article be scrubbed from the Vanguard’s site, calling the reporter’s work “irresponsible” and threatening legal action “consistent with our fiduciary duties to our advertisers and donors.”

She even instructed would-be sources to pay up “ethically” by donating to the Vanguard if they wanted coverage.

“The last IRS Form 990 on their website is from 2022. So much for transparency,” Luthmann said. “Do they have something to hide?”

To Luthmann, this pay-to-play whiff and donor-driven censorship utterly betray the “standards of legitimate journalism” Bassi claims to uphold.

“It appears, in my opinion, that she’s a psycho with a ‘style guide’ and the ear of the donors,” Luthmann said. “If you’re going to hack yourself out, at least have the integrity to say so. It insults everyone’s intelligence when she flails about ‘ethics,’ using it as a sword and a shield to defend her crookedness.”

The jewel in the crown, according to Luthmann, is that Bassi became the subject of a domestic violence restraining order after sending her ex-husband, Robert Bassi, a barrage of emails that he said harassed him, disturbed his peace, and damaged his business and reputation. The court found many of her messages—filled with personal attacks, accusations of criminal conduct, and threats of litigation—went beyond legitimate legal communication and were part of a pattern of outlandish behavior toward him.

“I’ll bet dollars to donuts that if you talk to Robert Bassi, he’ll tell you she’s a crazy bitch,” Luthmann said. “That’s my opinion.”

Susan Bassi replied to Richard Luthmann earlier today:

“You will get no retraction. See you in court.”

Luthmann replied:

“Cowboy up, bitch!”

Luthmann also sent Bassi a link to the above Rumble video, where Luthmann questions whether Bassi is a bigger bitch than Kyle’s mom from the Comedy Central series South Park.

“I hope she comes to Florida,” Luthmann said. “I’ll have her tagged with papers and then send her the ‘Susan Bassi Special’ from Popeye’s: two fat thighs and a left wing.”

Meanwhile, Holburn’s nightmare continues. The mother-reporter at the heart of the storm is still fighting to rescue her children and expose those who failed them. She says Bassi’s high-minded crusade was a sham – that the celebrated advocate turned her back when it really counted.

“You have violated the most precious and delicate nature of trust… your general conduct & disregard for victims… is disgraceful and heinous,” Holburn wrote in an email that now rings across the internet.

As this sensational media feud rages on, one thing is clear: Richard Luthmann isn’t backing down. The Florida firebrand has thrown a spotlight on Susan Bassi’s choices, vowing to hold her accountable.

In doing so, he’s given Julie Holburn something she feared she lost – a voice.

And he’s issued a final challenge to the self-styled California crusader: face the truth or face him in court.