PA CITIZENS PAC Seeks Dismissal of Sultana Defamation Action on Basis of 2024 Law

When she was running for Pa. State Rep. against Bob Freeman, Easton City Council member Taiba Sultana was confronted by a campaign from PA CITIZENS PAC designed to ensure her loss. The PAC bought and posted campaign signs calling her "Crazy. Chaotic. Criminal." Most were torn down or defaced within hours. In fact, her kids were nabbed by Pennsylvania State Police in the act of vandalizing them.  She has yet to understand that "politics is a whore's game, and pimps plat it," as my friend, the late Bob Rudas, liked to say. I would prefer to call it core political speech. But whatever you call it, she decided to intimidate the PAC, which was run by immigration lawyer Ray Lahoud, with a defamation lawsuit. This could end up costing her money. 

The PAC, represented by Goudsouzian & Associates, has filed a motion to dismiss based on a 2024 law called the Protected Public Expression Act. This is a response to a trend in which the "civil litigation system was increasingly being used in an illegitimate way: not to seek redress or relief for harm or to vindicate one’s legal rights, but rather to silence or intimidate citizens by subjecting them to costly and lengthy litigation. These kinds of abusive lawsuits are particularly troublesome when defendants find themselves targeted for exercising their constitutional rights to publish and speak freely, petition the government, and associate with others. Commentators dubbed these kinds of civil actions “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation,” or SLAPPs."

Protected Public Expression is defined to include the "exercise, on a matter of public concern, of the rights of freedom of speech or of the press, the right to assemble or petition or the right of association, [guaranteed by the federal and state constitution." It can be filed within 60 days after the complaint is served. Moreover, if the moving party is successful, he can seek attorney fees. Thise are ordinarily unavailable in most civil litigation. 

Below is the motion to dismiss what certainly appear like a frivolous complaint. Argument is scheduled in May.  

Brief to Dismiss Sultana Defamation Lawsuit by BernieOHare on Scribd