My understanding was this story was broken a few days ago by KZRG, but today's Mornin' Mail features a copy of a letter written by attorney Rob Mayer to Jopin Globe Publisher Dan Chiodo saying Jasper County Public Administrator Rita Hunter plans to file a libel suit against Globe:
The letter reads:
Dear Mr. Chiodo:
I have been retained by Steve and Rita Hunter to file a lawsuit against the Joplin Globe for defaming Ms. Rita Hunter who is presently the public administrator in Jasper County. The Hunters have sent numerous articles published by the Joplin Globe and written by reporter Susan Redden that mention Ms. Hunter in her capacity as public administrator. After reading these articles and reviewing evidence provided by the Hunters, I believe that your paper has published certain stories that grossly misrepresent Ms. Hunter’s role in the process of a guardianship/conservatorship for Mrs. France being ordered by the Jasper County Probate Court.
Furthermore, after reviewing copies of the Court transcripts, I believe the stories were written with actual malice towards Ms. Hunter and that your reporter and newspaper had knowledge of their falsity.
Additionally, Ms. Hunter has related to me that several quotes she gave to your reporter were changed and certain words not included. These material changes have a negative effect on the reader in contrast to what the true and accurate statements would have produced.
I am pursuing further evidence and witnesses with the intentions of filing a lawsuit against your newspaper for the defamation of Ms. Rita Hunter in her capacity as Jasper County Public Administrator.
Sincerely yours,
Robert N. Mayer
Mayer, it should be noted,in addition to being an attorney, is a state senator from Dexter. Mayer and Mrs. Hunter's husband, Rep. Steve Hunter, R-Joplin, entered the Missouri House of Representatives at the same time in 2001. Mayer is also a contributor at Mrs. Hunter's campaign.
4 comments:
Wake me up when they actually file a lawsuit. My guess is they won't because they know it will fail. This is an election ploy and KZRG took the bait hook, line and sucker.
I realize it's been common practice of late, especially among bloggers, to make a lawyer actually liking his client or out to be a conflict of interest somehow, but it isn't. Another more common practice of the same strain is to make it out to be some sort of corruption for a person to both endorse and contribute to a candidate, as though putting your money where your mouth is is a bad thing.
If Mayer was on the payroll of the Joplin Globe and had contributed to the Hunters campaign opponents, that would be a conflict of interest. That the lawyer handling the case for Rita Hunter is also a friend and colleague is so much sound and fury signifying nothing.
Yes, election ploy is written all over this. It's easy to say you are going to file suit, a little harder to take the documented facts to court, at least if your goal is to win your case! Rita is an embarassment to Jasper County.
Jasper County voters are informed Rita, this ploy won't get you any votes.
The Globe is using the oldest election ploy in the book - print un or half truths about someone at a key time before an election.
Abusing the freedom of the press in an attempt to sway an election outcome should result in the Globe loosing many subscribers.
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