HILLSDALE — A proposal meant to head off a potential defamation lawsuit against Hillsdale failed March 2 after a lengthy, contentious council debate.
The resolution would’ve clarified that comments made by Mayor Pro Tem Joshua Paladino about now-library board member Eric Moore during a council meeting Jan. 20 were his own. Moore’s attorney requested the resolution as part of settlement talks, and said adopting and publicly reading the measure would resolve Moore’s claims without any monetary payment.
The measure failed 2-6, with Mayor Scott Sessions and Councilmember Greg Stuchell voting yes. All other present councilmembers opposed it (Jacob Bruns was absent).
In a letter dated Feb. 5, attorney Jeffrey Hart alleged Paladino made false and defamatory statements Jan. 20 by claiming Moore opposed regulating children’s library content and supported access to violent, vulgar or sexual material. Those comments came during a livestreamed meeting that remains posted to the city’s channel on YouTube.
During the meeting, officials considered Moore’s appointment to the library board — which was ultimately approved 6-3.
No lawsuit was filed as of March 2, and several councilmembers sharply objected to the language in the proposed resolution. Councilmember Will Morrisey said he wouldn’t support a measure requiring council to retract statements it never made.
“I cannot retract something (Bentley) says,” he said. “He cannot retract anything that I say.”
Councilmember Bob Flynn, while acknowledging the city’s legal exposure, questioned whether a resolution was necessary to say that individual councilmembers speak only for themselves.
Stuchell called the dispute “a misunderstanding between two people” and urged Paladino to consider a simple apology. Councilmember Rob Socha said he would’ve been offended by the comments if he were in Moore’s position, but defended Paladino’s right to express his views.
City Attorney Tom Thompson told councilmembers that, while he believed the city would likely prevail if sued, Hillsdale’s insurance policy carries a $25,000 deductible — meaning taxpayers would cover the initial cost of defending the case.
The Thomas More Law Center, which announced in February it will represent Paladino, said it’s formally responded to what it described as ongoing defamation threats.
“I will not be bullied into silence or retract my constitutionally protected comments,” Paladino wrote in a statement released by the firm. “Evaluating nominees for public boards is part of my sworn legislative duty. The people of Hillsdale deserve honest debate, not political intimidation.”
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale rejects resolution drafted to avoid defamation suit
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
