Seminole GOP chairman, five times married, wins suit over letter

[Judi Lynn]

Seminole GOP chairman, five times married, wins suit over letter



The Associated Press

May 12, 2005

Seminole County Republican Party Chairman Jim Stelling won a defamation suit Wednesday against a former county GOP executive committee member who wrote state party leaders about his many marriages and accused him of spousal abuse.

Circuit Judge Clayton Simmons ruled that a mistake on the number of Stelling's marriages was harmless but concluded the abuse claim was false and defamatory.

Nancy Goettman was ordered not to send the 2003 letter to anyone else, but Stelling won no financial damages. At one point, he had asked for $99,000 plus legal fees and costs.
(snip)

Stelling had been married five times but the letter said it was six.

"I believe in family values," Stelling testified Tuesday.
(snip/...)

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050512/APN/505120519&cachetime=3&template=dateline



Stelling was right in the thick of things in the 2000 Presidential election vote recount, as any search will show you. Good old family values Stelling.

Also, six (mostly republican) counties have performed unauthorized, unrequested manual recounts, increasing Bush's margin, including Seminole County, which netted GW an additional 97 votes. Republican Party Vice-Chairman Jim Stelling claimed that having taken the time to do a full manual recount, "It gives more integrity to our ballots than any other county in the state of Florida."
(snip/...)

http://www.geocities.com/dearkandb/goplies2.html

[booksenkatz]

1. Awww, poor dude

If those nasty ole gays would just leave his marriages alone, maybe he could find the right little woman and eternal marital bliss! I'm sure that's the problem, right??

[Judi Lynn]

2. Kicking!

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. Six marriages? A smear!

I've only had five, a party official testifies in his defamation suit.

May 12, 2005

SANFORD - A judge is deciding whether Seminole County Republican Party chairman Jim Stelling was defamed by a letter claiming he had been married six times.

It was only five times, Stelling pointed out in a lawsuit filed against the letter writer.

He testified Tuesday that he believed wide circulation of the error sullied his reputation.

In January 2003, Stelling made a bid to become state Republican chairman. But he narrowly lost in a runoff to Carole Jean Jordan in an election held days after Nancy Goettman, a former county GOP executive committee member, sent a letter to party executives statewide that accused Stelling of having been married six times. He filed the lawsuit soon afterward.

"I believe in family values," Stelling said during Tuesday's half-day trial.


http://www.sptimes.com/2005/05/12/State/Six_marriages_A_smear.shtml


Ah yes, the party of family values strikes again. If these folks are so worried about the sanctity of marriage maybe they should outlaw divorce?

[DoctorMyEyes]

4. LOL!

Imagine being the judge and having to keep a straight face.

[Demit]

5. Well, he won the suit

The Associated Press

May 12, 2005

Seminole County Republican Party Chairman Jim Stelling won a defamation suit Wednesday against a former county GOP executive committee member who wrote state party leaders about his many marriages and accused him of spousal abuse.

Circuit Judge Clayton Simmons ruled that a mistake on the number of Stelling's marriages was harmless but concluded the abuse claim was false and defamatory.

Nancy Goettman was ordered not to send the 2003 letter to anyone else, but Stelling won no financial damages. At one point, he had asked for $99,000 plus legal fees and costs.
(snip)

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID...

[unblock]

8. whoa, was there an accusation of spousal abuse? that changes everything

if there was an accusation of spousal abuse, then, should it turn out to be false, that certainly WOULD constitute defamation and the journalists are really embarassing themselves by running a story putting forth the idea that the defamation suit was all about getting the count wrong.

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. Most have been one of those 'activist' judges

Here's a different link to the same report. (The link above doesn't seem to be working?)


At one point, Stelling had asked for $99,000 plus legal fees and costs.

"The lawsuit was about restoring my good name. I feel like the judge has done that. I feel vindicated," he said. "I wanted my name cleared of all the garbage that was in her letter."

Goettman, who acted as her own attorney, had no comment on the decision. Earlier she said, "I did what I thought was right."

Stelling had been married five times but the letter said six.

"I believe in family values," Stelling testified Tuesday.

Goettman asked Stelling whether being off by one really matters when the number gets that high.

"I beg your pardon," Stelling said. "Of course I don't agree with that statement."

Two of Stelling's wives were in the courtroom, including his current wife Lorayne.

Stelling said he wasn't proud of the number of marriages but "no matter how many times I've been married, that has no impact on how I would lead."


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_TOO_MANY_MARRIAGES_FLOL-?SITE=FLPET&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=state.shtml


Two of Stelling's wives were in the courtroom? Either this is just poor writing or should he have been on trial for polygamy instead?

[BrainRants]

6. Where are the "frivolous lawsuit" folks?

The Repugs should be bleating from the sheep barn that this is frivoulous...oh wait...he's a Repug too...nevermind.

[blogbear]

7. Well now really any number much less than a half dozen times doesn't

and can't cut it for them..Imagine being their spouse..Do it again and tell me how long it would last..