Councilman sues newspaper readers

Spokane, Wash., City Councilman Steve Eugster is suing The Spokesman-Review over articles published about a lawsuit he filed against a county commissioner. But what's so unusual about this case is that Eugster is also suing readers who commented about the articles in eight messages posted on the newspaper's Internet site and one letter to the editor that was published, according to The Associated Press.

In Eugster's original lawsuit, he claimed that the county commissioner violated the state constitution by encouraging his supporters to vote for Eugster's opponent in last fall's Democratic primary for county commissioner. After the lawsuit was dismissed, he filed a lawsuit against the newspaper for reporting that Eugster had been ordered to pay $61,362. A few days later the newspaper published a correction saying that the amount of attorney's fees Eugster must pay had not been determined.

Eugster's pending lawsuit also contends that publishing reader responses on the newspaper's Web site further tarnished his image. According to AP, one reader said: "Eugster has filed enough stupid lawsuits, make him pay." Another added: "It's time for that bag-of-wind to go." A third wrote: "Stupidity has its price. Now buck up and shut up."

Apr 22, 2003 | E-MAIL | SAVE | PRINT | PERMALINK | DISCUSS(0)

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