From the the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maryland:
In a victory against lawsuits intended to keep Marylanders from speaking out on matters of public concern, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maryland is pleased to announce that a lawsuit filed against two Fallston women simply because they spoke out against the development envelope expansion in Harford County has been dismissed. So-called “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation” or “SLAPP” suits are intended to censor, intimidate, and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of litigation and threats of big damage awards. Prior to ACLU representation Stephanie Flasch and Beth Poggioli accrued $8,000 in legal fees, though it was only the beginning stage of defending against the frivolous lawsuit.
Quote from Deborah Jeon, ACLU of Maryland legal director:
“It is great news that this lawsuit has been dismissed, but more work is needed for Maryland to send a message that frivolous lawsuits intended to silence free speech will not be tolerated. We need changes to state law to strengthen legal protections against SLAPP lawsuits, to ensure community members can speak their minds on government policies and proposals without the intimidation and expense of having to defend themselves in court.”
Quote from Stephanie Flasch, ACLU client:
“I was very surprised that just speaking out on a county issue could spark such a frivolous lawsuit. I hope the dismissal restores confidence within the community about providing opinions about how we would like Harford County to grow. I want people to feel comfortable and not fearful, to know that they can speak out on local matters without the threat of a lawsuit just for expressing themselves.”
Quote from Beth Poggioli, ACLU client:
“I didn’t realize these kinds of things can happen. Many people in the community who supported our campaign were intimidated by the lawsuit and didn’t come forward and speak up because of that fear. I believe this type of lawsuit was an attempt to use the justice system as a means of legal extortion. Now, I am supporting reform because many states have stronger legislation against SLAPP suits than Maryland and that needs to change. We are so very grateful to the ACLU for getting quick action and showing people what was done to us was wrong.
Stephanie Flasch and Beth Poggioli are represented by Robin R. Cockey and Michael P. Sullivan of Cockey, Brennan & Maloney, PC and by Deborah A. Jeon and David R. Rocah of the ACLU of Maryland. Flasch and Poggioli were previously represented by Kelly M. Preteroti of Ober, Kaler, Grimes & Shriver. To read legal documents in Euler v. Flasch, et al., go to the ACLU of Maryland website: http://aclu-md.org/press_room/273.
This is great news! Freedom of speech wins. Developers can no longer try to intimidate people into silence in Harford County. Congratulations to Stephanie Flasch and Beth Poggioli!
I wish they would publish the name or names of the developers that filed these lawsuits. They should face retribution in the form of boycotting their business services.
Michael Euler is the developer who filed the lawsuit. Totally ridiculous. He should be forced to pay the legal fees of the ladies he sued. Heck he can afford to give Barry Glassman $7,500 in campaign contributions. He can certainly afford to pay their legal fees. And the attorney who filed the suit on his behalf should be disbarred. An attorney with any kind of ethics should know better.
As verified with the ACLU this morning – Snee’s firm represented Euler in this and the rest of Euler’s “activities” in the county and this isn’t the first time Snee’s name appears with controversial development deals.
Actually, the public records show that Steven Freeman out of Towson represented the plaintiff, not Joe Snee’s firm.
Well done ladies. Game, set, match. Apparently Mr. Euler needed to be reminded that we have a right as citizens to speak up, particularly concerning civic matters.
Which development did these fine women stop from going forward?
The suit was about their civic activities – an online petition they created and not so much the winning or stopping of moving the development envelope out just to accomodate Euler’s development plans. I expect the fix is already in because Glassman includes in his new master plan exactly what Euler wants. That is no coincidence. Was the lawsuit filed to tamp the resistance – quiet the opposition long enough to slow momentum? Possibly, and sadly that may have been the intent all along.
So their outspokenness changed nothing. Way to go ladies keep up the good work.
We need to sue the developer for opening a Waffle House in fallston.
The only thing Fallston is missing is a Golden Corral and a check cashing pawn shop.
I bet all the Fallston yuppies can’t wait for the tractor supply to open.
Parking lot filled with diesel pickup trucks, reving up the engines and roaling the “coal” as they say.
Plenty of white males wearing flannel t shirts, big ass belt buckles and shined up ropers eating a chicken sammich over top the trash can talkin’ bout’ that farm life.
Sounds like my kind of place. I’m in!
Let’s give a little credit to the developer. He has taken a deteriorating fallston mall and old auto store and rehabed them in Fallston . They are now a credit to our community instead of an eyesore.
It may surprise you how many in area use tractor supply that are ordinary citizens and local businesses.
Fallston has become semi suburbia. Rt 152 was mostly farms prior to the mid sixties. Now these farms have mostly become developments, schools, the local pool, churches and some businesses.
If Euler is involved, many want to fight him. They did this when he wanted to put in a senior housing at Old Joppa Rd. This would have been much less traffic than the 275 plus apartment comples there now.
Jean-
they hate to see people take a risk and be successful.