Former Flagler County Commissioner Chairman Joe Mullins has filed a defamation lawsuit alleging he was libeled by FlaglerLive and Pierre Tristam, the website’s editor.
The lawsuit accuses FlaglerLive and Tristam of “repeated publication of false, misleading, and defamatory statements” about Mullins in “articles, commentary, and related online publications.”
Mullins’ lawsuit stated that FlaglerLive and Tristam portrayed him as “corrupt, dishonest, unethical, and extremist, while omitting material facts and disregarding contrary information.”
In a response posted on its website, FlaglerLive stated it stood by its coverage and called Mullins’ lawsuit a SLAPP action, meaning a “strategic lawsuit against public participation.”
A box on the FlaglerLive website asked for contributions to its legal defense fund. The box did not appear later when The News-Journal checked on the story again, but did reappear at a later time.
FlaglerLive is listed as a not for profit corporation in Florida Division of Corporation records.
Tristam had not yet responded to a request for comment from The News-Journal.
Ex-Flagler Commissioner Mullins files lawsuit against FlaglerLive, Pierre Tristam
In the lawsuit, Mullins stated he resides both in Flagler County and Augusta, Georgia, and does business through “The Joe Mullins Companies.”
Mullins is represented by attorney Anthony Sabatini, a former Florida House member. The lawsuit states it is a claim for between $50,001 and $75,000. Lawsuits above $50,000 are filed in circuit court.
Mullins’ lawsuit is on the docket of Circuit Judge Sandra Upchurch in Flagler County.
The lawsuit filed May 11 accuses FlaglerLive of publishing “numerous false and defamatory statements” about Mullins.
Mullins lawsuit cites FlaglerLive article stating he was ‘disgraced’
Mullins served a controversial term on the Flagler County commission until he was defeated by Leann Pennington in the Republican primary in 2022. Mullins lost in a landslide to Pennington, who won 69% of the vote to Mullins’ 31%
The lawsuit cites one of the articles published in November 2024 titled “Joe Mullins, Disgraced in Flagler County, Declares Run for Waltz’s Congressional seat.”
The FlaglerLive article stated that Mullins was “disgraced out of office” that he engaged in “outrageous behavior” and “belligerently tried to get out of a traffic stop by telling a cop that he ran Flagler County.
FlaglerLive also stated that Mullins “attempted to get out of a ticket months earlier in another county,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit goes on to say that “Those statements were false, misleading, and defamatory.”
Mullins disputed the characterization and denied trying to “get out of any citation or invoking political influence to avoid legal consequences,” the lawsuit states.
Mullins stopped speeding in red Ferrari
The traffic stop in question was widely reported at the time, including by The News-Journal.
Mullins was driving a 2013 Ferrari convertible sports car when he was pulled over on northbound Interstate 95 at mile marker 287 in Flagler County on June 19, 2022. Mullins’ Ferrari was traveling 92 mph in a 70-mph zone, according to the citation.
The audio is difficult to hear at times but at one point, Mullins said “I run the county.”
“You run the county?” the trooper said.
The trooper then continued explaining his options for the citation before telling Mullins he was free to go. Mullins then accelerated quickly, and drove in the sports car.
On June 2, 2022, Mullins was ticketed for going 89 mph in a 60 mph zone on Interstate 4 express lane around mile marker 91. He was driving a Mercedes Benz SUV.
After walking back to one of the patrol cars after the initial contact with Mullins, the trooper tells his colleague that Mullins “said he was a county commissioner.”
“Yeah, well, he’s getting a ticket,” the other trooper said.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Former Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins sues FlaglerLive
Reporting by Frank Fernandez, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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