Columnist Antonella Gambotto-Burke accuses feminist author Clementine Ford of vile whispering campaign involving her much younger ex-husband

A vicious war of words between two feminist authors has escalated after one bragged about talking to the other’s much younger ex-husband in an alleged attempt to dig up dirt – with some of her followers then allegedly repeating a vile slur.

Celebrity blogger Clementine Ford, 43, has been embroiled in a mudslinging contest with Antonella Gambotto-Burke since the Italian-Australian author wrote a scathing review of her latest book in December last year.

Since then, both women have insulted each other, with Ford labeling her London-based opponent a “Gamblotto nobody,” while Gambotto-Burke called Ford a “mullet Barbie.”

Gambotto-Burke, 58, has also worked on an investigation into Ford for the Australian newspaper, which will be published soon.

But the bitter sides of the bitter couple have never escaped the confines of the print press or social media until now.

Ford, who has gained notoriety in recent weeks for helping expose the personal information of some 600 Jewish creatives, claimed in a cryptic post on Instagram that she has spoken to Gambotto-Burke’s ex-husband, Alex Burke, who reportedly ‘has a lot of money’. say’.

The couple married in 2005 when Gambotto-Burke was 39 and Mr. Burke was just 18 years old.

They shared a daughter together before divorcing under dire circumstances ten years later.

Gambotto-Burke claims she signed a non-disclosure order with Mr. Burke’s family, preventing her from discussing many aspects of their relationship.

The apparent escalation in the feud between Ford and Gambotto-Burke came after Ford responded to an Instagram account using the name “Kat Fogel.”

Ford and some of her followers have repeatedly accused “Kat Fogel” of being a sock puppet account controlled by Gambotto-Burke.

Daily Mail Australia has spoken to the woman who owns the account and verified that she is not Gambotto-Burke, but rather a Jewish housewife living in Melbourne’s south-east.

In response to a comment left under a photo of Ford by “Kat Fogel,” Ford said, “Hi AGB (Antonella Gambotto-Burke) – looking forward to meeting your ex-husband soon at one of my Conversations With Men! He certainly has a lot to say.”

Conversations With Men, a panel discussion moderated by Ford, “invites five men to talk to the boys of the past about the men they learned to become,” according to the event description.

Daily Mail Australia approached Ford to comment on whether she has actually spoken to Gambotto-Burke’s ex-husband.

Mr. Burke, through his attorney, declined to say whether he had spoken to Ford but is “working hard to overcome the pain he suffered in that and subsequent years” from his marriage to Gambotto-Burke.

“He does not want to do anything that could cause further suffering and damage to his reputation and mental well-being, and that of his supportive family and friends, who have all suffered enough,” his lawyer said.

There is no suggestion that Mr Burke has spoken to Ford other than her own public comments.

But Gambotto-Burke is convinced her ex-husband has made contact with her nemesis, as some of Ford’s followers are now accusing her of a “very specific criminal libel” her husband allegedly leveled against her during their bitter divorce proceedings.

Daily Mail Australia has chosen not to repeat the criminal allegation.

Gambotto-Burke claims she filed to obtain a silence order which she signed after their marriage was annulled.

The writer and journalist, who branded Ford a “hypocrite of corrupt character” whose “dominant characteristics are cruelty, hatred and vindictiveness,” accused her ex-husband of “excessive malice.”

“By (allegedly) associating with a woman identified as a digital terrorist, hate monger and anti-Semite to harm me and damage my reputation, my former husband has left me no choice but to file to get the silence order I chose. sign withdrawn,” Gambotto-Burke told Daily Mail Australia.

“Since I started investigating Ford, I have received several threats regarding a very serious lie that, curiously, my former husband threatened me with.

“This lie was spread by Clementine Ford’s evil allies, whose social media reach is terrifying.”

Gambotto-Burke trashed Ford’s book I Don’t: The Case Against Marriage in a piece for The Weekend Australian in mid-December last year.

She wrote that Ford “exhibits a deep, persistent, and ugly anger toward men, which she justifies as an appropriate response to misogyny….”

“While there is no doubt that some of the points she makes in I Don’t: The Case Against Marriage are correct, the level of disgust she expresses for men is more than disturbing; it should be illegal.”

The pair also repeatedly exchanged blows over their views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

But the insults were also more childish in nature, with Ford mocking the freelance writer and musician’s dance moves and Gambotto-Burke jokingly referring to her love for her own partner’s “massive c***”.