Craigslist Sues Critic of Its Adult Ads

Craigslist went on the offensive and sued the attorney general of South Carolina, who had threatened to prosecute the classifieds site's executives over adult-oriented ads. The suit, filed in federal court in South Carolina, seeks a restraining order to prevent the attorney general, Henry McMaster, from filing criminal charges against Craigslist management. The San Francisco company claims McMaster's threats violate the its First Amendment and other rights. In a written response Wednesday, Attorney General McMaster both claimed victory and seemed to step away from the threat of immediate legal action. He called Craigslist's suit "good news" because "it shows that Craigslist is taking the matter seriously for the first time." He said his office would continue to monitor the site. The suit is the latest twist in a long-running controversy Craigslist has faced over adult-oriented ads. Craigslist has come under mounting pressure to remove adult ads amid complaints from law enforcement that it enables prostitution, and after the April murder of a masseuse in Boston who advertised on the site.