Lobbyist seeks dismissal of suit
Motion calls former NM senator’s claim an ‘act of petty vengeance’
SANTA FE — A lobbyist who faces a defamation lawsuit filed by former state Rep. Carl Trujillo is calling the suit “an act of petty vengeance” designed to suppress criticism of his own misconduct.
In a motion to dismiss filed last week, Laura Bonar asked a state district judge to not only reject Trujillo’s claims but also to order him and his attorney to reimburse her for the cost of defending herself in court.
Bonar is seeking an award of her legal fees and costs under a New Mexico law aimed at protecting people from unwarranted, retaliatory litigation — sometimes called a SLAPP suit, or “strategic litigation against public
participation.”
Her motion comes after Trujillo in February filed a lawsuit alleging defamation and civil conspiracy against Bonar and others. Trujillo accused Bonar of falsely claiming she had been sexually harassed by him when she worked as a lobbyist and he served as a legislator.
Bonar’s allegations surfaced last year, and Trujillo subsequently lost his reelection bid. House District 46 is now represented by Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe.
Trujillo, a Democrat from Nambé, described the harassment allegations as politically motivated lies timed to harm his reelection campaign.
In a written statement Wednesday, Trujillo said he is considering whether to withdraw the lawsuit. He said he isn’t sure he wants “to be legally entangled with these types of people for years to come.”
“My main goal with the defamation lawsuit,” Trujillo said, “was to receive public apologies from the Defendants for interfering in an election and for what their lies did to me and my family.”
But he said the civil legal system may not be the right avenue to pursue such apologies.
In the motion filed this week, Bonar’s attorney, Levi Monagle, described his client’s motives as “moral,” not political.
“Ms. Bonar told the truth about Mr. Trujillo, and she did so publicly and vocally,” Monagle said in the motion. “Mr. Trujillo may be aggrieved regarding the truths that Ms. Bonar spoke, but that does not mean that he has grounds to sue her for defamation.”
Furthermore, he said, Trujillo and Bonar’s organization, Animal Protection Voters, were political allies, undercutting the argument that she would be motivated to lodge false accusations against the legislator.
“Mr. Trujillo’s lawsuit is an act of petty vengeance and an effort by an aggrieved politician to silence his critics and chill future petitioning activity,” Bonar’s motion said.