Alyssa Mercante’s "Lawyer" Sent Me a Cease & Desist... (Rebuttal)

It seems that Alyssa Mercante, in her latest attempt to avoid accountability for her own behavior, has decided to try and weaponize the legal system to silence any criticism for her public actions.

Her "lawyer" recently sent me a cease and desist letter accusing me of defamation and harassment. Yet, conveniently, this letter leaves out crucial details about Alyssa’s own conduct (for example, above), which has been anything but professional.

Funny how that works.

Let's fix that...

Quick TLDR of who we're dealing with here to catch you up

Alyssa Mercante, who's shifted from a failed attempt at being a 'cam girl' (aka, sex worker) to a clickbait-driven journalism career, has become notorious for her aggressive and combative behavior online. As a far-left activist, she's been accused of racist and narcissistic tendencies, consistently targeting and stalking her critics and their families (which I'll get into as well here). Known for her strong support of DEI and SBI agendas, Mercante’s actions have included everything from public challenges for physical fights to threats of lawsuits, often coupled with a smug and abusive demeanor. Her conduct, marked by a pattern of harassment and divisiveness, calls into question both her credibility and her professionalism in the gaming and media space.

Alright Let's Do This Thing...

Alyssa consistently antagonizes, ridicules, and provokes me (and many others) publicly, clearly attempting to "poke the bear" to elicit a reaction and cry victim.

As many already know - she went as far as to issue a public challenge for a physical confrontation. Yeah... She's openly invited me or anyone else to "fight her" physically. Then there's the contacting my wife thing for an innocuous RT I did (and un-RT after she asked me to) on X...

She searched out my wife's name and personal info and then decided to reach out to my wife's Facebook account with DM's in attempt to try to cause strife or even worse - get us divorced. Full message she sent to her below:

...and she let everyone know about it publicly here:

Then tried to make a mockery of the situation trying to minimize the seriousness of that move by tweeting jokes about it and even going so far as getting a t-shirt made about it.

Is that the type of behavior of someone genuinely seeking to resolve a dispute or of someone looking for more attention and controversy? No. This is more than likely a pathetic attempt to try to rally her audience together in order to hold her own 'gofundme' and use this as an opportunity to garner funds.

WARNING, Lewd photos ahead.

Let’s also not forget that Alyssa frequently posts lewd photos of herself online (below) and has, on multiple occasions, referred to herself as a “cam girl” and bragged often about having casual sex with the insinuation that she is flippant about it during her previous 'job'. As someone reporting on the video game industry, I try my best to capture the whole story for you guys. Sorry...

Or that time that she literally called herself a slut? Rules for me not for thee, Alyssa?

Yet, she now wants to pretend she’s being unfairly targeted and victimized?

Classic.

Her lawyer’s letter suggests that I crossed a line by responding to her provocations, but it fails to acknowledge that Alyssa has been far from a model of professional conduct herself, to put it nicely. If Alyssa wants to be treated with respect and professionalism, she needs to take responsibility for her own words and begin acting that way.

If Alyssa wouldn't provoke and try to make fun of my and a poor investment decision, she would not have undesirable responses. This is the internet, sweetie.

Alyssa wants to play both sides. She engages in inflammatory behavior, provokes reactions, and then cries the victim when those reactions come. Her decision to send this letter, threatening legal action for what amounts to an exchange of mean words on the internet, is nothing more than a desperate attempt to control the narrative and avoid accountability. The literal definition of a crybully.

If Alyssa and her legal team wish to continue down this path, I am more than prepared to engage in a full counter-suit and proceed with discovery. This would not only expose her actions but also provide a more transparent view into how she's consistently provoked others while presenting herself as the victim.... And while yeah - it might seem like a waste of time and resources for all parties involved, Alyssa’s persistent disregard for accountability suggests she has no problem going down this road.

Enter Ron Coleman...

Ron Coleman is nothing short of legendary when it comes to handling legal nonsense, and this letter he sent to Alyssa Mercante’s lawyer, Lane Haygood, is a perfect example of why. The first time I came across Ron was when he represented ThatParkPlace against Black Girl Gamers, shutting down their ludicrous C&D in record time. Watching him do the same for me here is nothing short of perfection. It was a(n expensive) pleasure to deal with him, but you truly get what you pay for when you work with Ron. The man knows his stuff, and this letter reflects his expertise in every single way...

One of the highlights of Ron’s letter is how quickly and decisively he shuts down the defamation claims. He writes,

“None of the statements you attribute to Mr. Tarzia in Section (I) of your letter is defamatory under New York or California law because they are either true or are protected opinion or polemic.”

He doesn’t waste time diving into the weeds on every false claim. Instead, Ron makes it clear that what I said either falls under the protection of the truth or is safeguarded as opinion. Lane Haygood and Michael Dunford’s legal theatrics don’t stand a chance here.

And of course, Ron doesn’t hold back when it comes to their courtroom bravado. Haygood’s laughable assertion that Mercante would prevail in court is immediately slapped down:

“Your assertion that Ms. Mercante would prevail if ‘this matter were taken to court’ is not only unfounded, but is a transparently empty threat.”

Ron is cutting, clear, and to the point – these threats aren’t just groundless, they’re setting Mercante up for even bigger problems if they decide to push forward. Ron goes on to remind them of the anti-SLAPP laws in both New York and California, letting them know that if they dared to take this any further, Mercante could face real legal consequences.

Finally, the way Ron handles the so-called “harassment” claims is pure artistry.

“The ‘harassment’ claims described in Section (II) of your letter are just as meritless – a daisy chain of fallacious reasoning, both legal and factual, undergirded by yet more speculation about Mr. Tarzia’s mindset and activities.”

There’s no room for the weak arguments that Mercante’s team is trying to push, and Ron makes it very clear that Kiwi Farms, not me, is responsible for any fallout.

Ron’s closer? Just as sharp.

“Your demands, in sum, are rejected. There will be no apologies or retractions from Mr. Tarzia to your client.”

That’s how you shut down a frivolous legal threat with authority.

So That's That?

This move by Alyssa is not just an attack on me but a clear attempt to intimidate and silence any voice that dares to challenge her behavior - It's a classic approach of attempting to reposition herself into the 'authority figure' for perception. But let’s be honest: she doesn’t strike me as the brightest bulb, and any lawyer willing to take on this case seems equally desperate. It’s time for Alyssa to stop hiding behind legal threats and start taking responsibility for her actions.

If Alyssa thinks she can simply intimidate others into silence, she’s sorely mistaken. The truth will come out, and no amount of legal maneuvering can ever change that. If she wants to play this game, then let’s play. But it’s time she understands that every action has consequences, and for once in her life, she might need to start facing hers.

My advice? Stop initiating harassment of others, and you'll see just how fast it stops coming back to you.

~Smash