Smigiel Wins In SLAPP Suit

Cecil County Executive, Terri Moore had filed a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP Suit), against me. A SLAPP Suit is a lawsuit that is intended to censor, intimidate and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of legal defense until they abandon their criticism or opposition. The local paper ran a headline saying that I was being sued for $40,000 because I had filed a law suit on behalf of the Chairman of the Republican Central Committee. It gave the appearance that I had filed a “frivolous” lawsuit that had no merit and had wasted taxpayer money forcing the county to defend said suit.

The fact is the judge wrote “Notwithstanding the aforesaid, the facts underlying the Complaint are not disputed by the parties, and lead to the inescapable conclusion that Ms. Moore circumvented the intent of the provisions of the newly-enacted Cecil County Charter which provided for party central committee participation in filling County Council vacancies. Equally obvious, the Complaint was filed to thwart the perceived deception by Ms Moore and had a legitimate basis at least in fact”

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