Two township officials’ feud results in lawsuit

An Orange Township trustee and the township fiscal officer have thrown around accusations and harsh words at each other at public meetings for years.

Trustee Lisa Knapp even set up a video camera pointed at her nemesis, Joel Spitzer, to record the often heated exchanges at township meetings.

Now, the hostility between the two has escalated into Spitzer filing a lawsuit and restraining order request against Knapp and two of her supporters.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Delaware County Common Pleas Court, alleges that Knapp has used her Facebook page, YouTube channel and personal blog to libel him and attack his reputation.

Also listed as defendants are two township residents who Spitzer said also have verbally attacked and, in at least one case, threatened him.

Knapp is “the mastermind behind an attempt to disparage the character and integrity of (Spitzer), and has at times recruited other individuals to assist her in this endeavor,” the suit says.

Spitzer, an attorney, is asking a judge to order Knapp to remove the materials. He also is seeking damages that he estimates at more than $1 million.

Spitze alleges that Knapp has harassed him, his family and his clients and encouraged others to do the same. According to the lawsuit, the alleged libelous attacks have embarrassed his family, hurt his legal practice and caused his 12-year-old daughter to be harassed and bullied.

Spitzer also alleges that Knapp conspired with others, including a former ThisWeek newspaper.

Knapp used the video of one angry exchange to suggest that Spitzer is mentally unstable, according to the lawsuit.

“While Plaintiff might have exhibited angry behavior, even defendant’s intentionally edited version of the video did not bestow upon (her) the credentials of a mental health professional capable of making a diagnosis of an individual and a suggested action plan,” the suit says.

Numerous screen captures from Knapp’s websites, copies of email exchanges and newspaper clippings were included in the lawsuit.

Knapp has been a trustee since 2012. Spitzer took office in 2008.

Spitzer referred questions to his attorney, Adam Chaudry, who did not immediately return calls.

Knapp has said the information she posts on her websites is fact-based and the videos speak for themselves.

“I was scared at the beginning, but I’m not any more. I don’t care. I’m not taking my stuff down. I’m not shutting up,” she has said. “Everything on my sites is public record. I have a right to my opinion. We are all elected officials. We all have a right to criticize and be criticized.”