PAC wants libel lawsuit dismissed

A Concord Township financial adviser’s $1 million libel lawsuit over “false and misleading” statements in a mailed brochure is groundless, according to the defendant.

Bob Patterson, president of Patterson Financial Services and a former township trustee, filed the suit last month in Lake County Common Pleas Court against the 1822 PAC and its treasurer, Ryan Johnson.

According to the suit, 1822 PAC mailed out a brochure on or about Oct. 30 in which he called Patterson a “discredited and defeated former

trustee,” who is “one of the known puppet masters pulling the strings” of township trustee candidates Denny Crews and Kari Matsko.

The 1822 PAC recently filed an answer to the complaint, claiming there is no basis for a defamation claim.

“While ... Defendant denies the making of the alleged statements, said statements are opinion and therefore not actionable under Ohio law,” attorney Nicholas D’Angelo said in his response. “... Plaintiff has filed this groundless complaint in bad faith and merely for the purpose of harassing this answering Defendant.”

The political action committee is seeking attorney’s fees from Patterson.

In his self-filed lawsuit, Patterson accused the defendant of disseminating statements he knew were false.

“The Plaintiff believes these statements are libelous and as a financial adviser will cause harm to his professional standing in the community, leading to an inability to earn income,” he wrote in the suit. “The Plaintiff’s profession is based primarily on trust, integrity and character. These statements are vindictive and aimed to hurt the Plaintiff’s reputation as a businessman and 36-year resident of the community.”

Patterson is seeking $500,000 in compensatory damages, $500,000 in punitive damages, litigation costs and a jury trial.

Although the defendant denies making the statements, they are protected by the First Amendment as free speech, D’Angelo argued. The case has been assigned to Judge John P. O’Donnell.

Crews and Matsko challenged incumbents Paul R. Malchesky and Christopher Galloway in the Nov. 7 election and lost.