Developer Hank Attina threatened a resident with litigation for publicly criticizing his relationship with city officials.
In a March 25 letter, Upland-based attorney Guy Lochhead accused resident Elizabeth Gonzalez of making “false and defamatory” statements about Attina and his businesses.
“If you continue to make, distribute, disseminate, or otherwise communicate false and defamatory statements concerning Mr. Attina or any of the business entities with whom he is associated, Mr. Attina…(intends) to file the appropriate legal action against you,” Lochhead wrote.
Lochhead demanded Gonzalez send a retraction to his office by today.
“I think it’s like a threat, intimidation, shut your mouth up basically,” Gonzalez said. “This is our right as residents of Montebello, to get up and speak.”
The 43-year-old commercial driver and dispatcher said she was “shocked” when she received the letter in the mail Saturday.
“As an American citizen I’m practicing my First Amendment right and I’m being threatened for it,” she said.
Attina couldn’t be reached by phone for comment. Lochhead said he wasn’t authorized by his client to comment.
At a March 9 City Council meeting, Gonzalez distributed a packet to officials and audience members alleging personal friendships between Attina and some current and former city officials and outlining city deals between them.The documents also outlined forgivable loans given to Attina by the city to build projects like senior housing. Legislation protects citizens from lawsuits that result from talking to government officials on public matters, according to Paul Clifford, attorney for the Berkeley-based California Anti-SLAPP Project. “Usually the people who want to sue for comments like this have a lot more money than the people who are getting sued,” Clifford said. “They see this as a cost of doing business.” Even if residents can get their money back if a judge determines the lawsuit has no merit and was intended to silence them, the fear of a lawsuit can frighten people into silence, Clifford said. “Obviously if people are afraid of being sued they’ll be less likely to complain or make statements,” he said. Gonzalez said she has no plans to retract her statements and is looking for a lawyer.
In a March 25 letter, Upland-based attorney Guy Lochhead accused resident Elizabeth Gonzalez of making “false and defamatory” statements about Attina and his businesses.
“If you continue to make, distribute, disseminate, or otherwise communicate false and defamatory statements concerning Mr. Attina or any of the business entities with whom he is associated, Mr. Attina…(intends) to file the appropriate legal action against you,” Lochhead wrote.
Lochhead demanded Gonzalez send a retraction to his office by today.
“I think it’s like a threat, intimidation, shut your mouth up basically,” Gonzalez said. “This is our right as residents of Montebello, to get up and speak.”
The 43-year-old commercial driver and dispatcher said she was “shocked” when she received the letter in the mail Saturday.
“As an American citizen I’m practicing my First Amendment right and I’m being threatened for it,” she said.
Attina couldn’t be reached by phone for comment. Lochhead said he wasn’t authorized by his client to comment.
At a March 9 City Council meeting, Gonzalez distributed a packet to officials and audience members alleging personal friendships between Attina and some current and former city officials and outlining city deals between them.The documents also outlined forgivable loans given to Attina by the city to build projects like senior housing. Legislation protects citizens from lawsuits that result from talking to government officials on public matters, according to Paul Clifford, attorney for the Berkeley-based California Anti-SLAPP Project. “Usually the people who want to sue for comments like this have a lot more money than the people who are getting sued,” Clifford said. “They see this as a cost of doing business.” Even if residents can get their money back if a judge determines the lawsuit has no merit and was intended to silence them, the fear of a lawsuit can frighten people into silence, Clifford said. “Obviously if people are afraid of being sued they’ll be less likely to complain or make statements,” he said. Gonzalez said she has no plans to retract her statements and is looking for a lawyer.
via: Whittier Daily News
