Alameel Threatens Cornyn Campaign With Lawsuit

[TexasTowelie]

David Alameel, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, is demanding that Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s campaign retract a recent fundraising email or possibly face a defamation lawsuit.

A lawyer for Cornyn’s campaign accused Alameel of trying to “intimidate Texans from discussing his fitness for public office.”

The dispute stems from a May 14 fundraising email sent by Texans for Senator John Cornyn to members of its mailing list. The email, from campaign outreach director Amanda Shell, cited an article in the Houston Chronicle outlining a now-closed legal fight between dental clinics that were then owned by Alameel and four workers who claimed the company’s chief financial officer had sexually harassed them. Alameel was never a target of the sexual harassment claims. However, his company settled a subsequent federal complaint — which involved no admission of wrongdoing — brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2008. The Cornyn campaign email summarized the allegations from the suit as well as other details included in the article.

The Cornyn campaign on Thursday released a letter from Alameel's lawyer and the campaign's response, despite a statement in the letter from Alameel’s lawyer describing it as “a confidential legal communication” that is not for publication.

More at http://www.texastribune.org/2014/05/29/alameel-threatens-cornyn-campaign-lawsuit/ .

[PDittie]

1. Bad move on Alameel's part.

Given the sensitivities involved, some analysts question why Alameel has chosen to breathe new life into the story by threatening a libel suit, particularly given the high legal threshold public figures must meet to prove slander.

"I can make no sense whatsoever of Alameel's attempt at smearing his opponent for using (court) filed sexual harassment-related information -- whatever their outcome," said veteran Texas Democratic strategist Daniel McClung. "There is not a chance in hell that subject would not be revisited in a U.S. Senate campaign, and using one's own resources to assure it remains in the public eye is not what I would consider a wise political tactic."

The re-airing of the women's 2003 lawsuit also comes at a delicate time for the Texas Democratic Party, which has staked its comeback hopes on mobilizing women and minorities. Alameel will be on the same Democratic ticket in November as gubernatorial hopeful Wendy Davis, who endorsed him in the primary against Rogers.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Alameel-alleges-defamation-by-Cornyn-campaign-5514647.php?cmpid=btfpm

A foolish, pointless threat of a lawsuit over his own settlement of sexual harrassment claims. Undercuts the entire Democratic strategy. Alameel is not just getting bad vice from someone, he's taking it.

Democrats struck out this cycle with the two US Senate runoff candidates. Don't blame me; I voted for Maxey Scherr.

[DhhD]

5. The event would have come up anyway. Seems Alameel settled it in the right way.

In my opinion, making things right, by and for women, is totally against the ways of the GOP.

[malokvale77]

6. "Don't blame me; I voted for Maxey Scherr."

Me too. It's a shame the Democratic Party doesn't think Texas is worth fighting for.

Texans of all stripes are in for a hell of a ride.

[Gothmog]

2. This is an interesting strategy

Alaameel is a long shot. I am glad that he willing to fight Sen. Boxturtle

[PDittie]

3. May be interesting

but it is still a bad one, and a losing one. As long as he keeps writing the big checks, though...

[Gothmog]

4. It is nice to have a candidate who is self-funding

I am so glad that Kesha is not on the ballot