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New state law to be tested by Will County case

Friday, Aug 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Daily Southtown

A Will County clerk’s office employee filed a lawsuit alleging New Lenox Township Trustee Patricia “Patty” Deiters published a fraudulent public Facebook post that defamed and incited harassment against her.

The lawsuit, filed Aug. 9 by Ellen Moriarty, claims the Facebook page Will County Republican Women is operated by Deiters and published a screenshot of a post purportedly from Moriarty’s personal Facebook account.

The lawsuit alleges Moriarty never made the post and the alleged doctored image led “various third parties” to share the post at least 17 times and contact her employer with the intent of having her fired.

A screenshot of the post included in the lawsuit reads, “Too bad he missed!! A heroic effort, too bad he lost his life,” referring to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a July 13 campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

The lawsuit accuses Deiters of violating the Illinois Civil Liability for Doxing Act, a law that went into effect in January. The legislation, signed by Gov. JB Pritzker Aug. 4, 2023, makes anyone in Illinois civilly liable for partaking in doxxing, or the sharing of personal identifiable information about another person for the purpose of harming them.

The lawsuit accuses Deiters of creating the fake post, but according to her attorney, Thomas DeVore, another person shared the post with Deiters through a group message.

Everything comes from somewhere, Tom. It’s the choice to post it which matters.

* Speaking of DeVore

* Didn’t happen

A gathering featuring Southern Illinois attorney Thomas DeVore as the guest speaker was relocated to Washington Square in Ottawa, after the Ottawa American Legion canceled the Thursday evening event less than 48 hours before it was set to occur, because it would have violated its bylaws to host it.

The Ottawa American Legion said its bylaws do not allow political events and determined Thursday’s gathering was political in nature. […]

The flyer also said a free (Donald) Trump yard sign would be available with each $10 donation. The flyer said the event was sponsored by Mid-America Grassroots Action (spelling out “MAGA” in the background). The group said it serves to “promote, educate, and financially support Mid America grassroots organizations who are vested in returning our country to the people,” noting it is a “political organization” on Facebook.

Ottawa American Legion Commander Tom Shea said he believes the Legion was misled to believe the event wasn’t political when it was scheduled initially, but after receiving a phone call Wednesday morning from a concerned legionnaire, and then reviewing the flyer, said the organization’s leadership determined the event would be canceled to follow its bylaws.

“It’s been in our bylaws since 1919,” said John Duback of the Ottawa American Legion. “We are a non-political group.”

* And another thing. He’s not mad. Please don’t put it in the newspaper that he got mad…


       

23 Comments
  1. - Rudy’s teeth - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 11:55 am:

    Why would DeVore think that holding an event at the Ottawa American Legion featuring Trump yard signs for a donation would fly?
    The former president disparaged service men and women and called them losers. Obviously, DeVore can’t put two and two together.


  2. - Leap Day William - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 12:13 pm:

    “Mid America Grassroots Action”, with a Facebook gage full of Gen. Flynn, John Birch Society, Agenda 2030, Great Reset, and Pillow Guy selfies.

    Yeah, totally not political… /eyeroll


  3. - Homebody - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 12:13 pm:

    Ah yes, I always give out signs for political candidates at my non-political events.


  4. - Big Dipper - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 12:17 pm:

    Free sign with donation lol.


  5. - grateful gayle - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 12:28 pm:

    Won’t he EVER go away???


  6. - Norseman - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 12:35 pm:

    === A Will County clerk’s office employee filed a lawsuit alleging … “Patty” Deiters published a fraudulent public Facebook post that defamed and incited harassment against her. ===

    Viscerally, I hope she wins. The MAGA mob (I know they’re not the only ones but currently they are asymmetrically the bigger problem) has little care for the harm they do to people. We’ll see if the courts allow thugs to continue to hide behind the First Amendment.


  7. - Rudy’s teeth - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 12:39 pm:

    Is Tom DeVore a.k.a. 42 short planting the seeds for another campaign? Curious that he would host this gathering of his like-minded cohorts.


  8. - Give Us Barabbas - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 12:48 pm:

    I leave the lead-in unspoken and just leave the tag: “ here’s your sign.”


  9. - Rabid - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 12:51 pm:

    No egg roll for you


  10. - Just Me 2 - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 12:52 pm:

    The event includes passing out political signs, and it isn’t a political event?


  11. - Terry Salad - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 1:03 pm:

    Trump’s behavior at Arlington National Cemetary was a disgrace. DeVore holding an event at the Ottawa American Legion Hall hawking Trump yard signs shows that Trump Republicans view veterans and active duty soldiers as mere props.


  12. - hisgirlfriday - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 1:07 pm:

    I am confused about him calling his foes “Jerry Springer” haters.

    Was he planning to have bouncers to keep people from fighting at his appearance?

    Take care of yourself and each other.


  13. - Lurker - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 1:16 pm:

    I never understand wording like this. Such a victim.

    “… support Mid America grassroots organizations who are vested in returning our country to the people”


  14. - Shark Sandwich - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 1:17 pm:

    “after receiving a phone call Wednesday morning from a concerned legionnaire”

    Terrible headline opportunity:
    “Political event canceled by legionnaire’s dis-ease.”


  15. - fs - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 1:32 pm:

    ==Is Tom DeVore a.k.a. 42 short planting the seeds for another campaign? ==

    Based on the ardc case currently pending against him, it probably won’t be for attorney general. There’s a decent chance that the only thing he’ll be allowed to practice soon is how to roll more egg rolls


  16. - Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 1:33 pm:

    “vested in returning our country to the people“

    Sounds like something Stalin would say.


  17. - Blitz - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 1:34 pm:

    First off, wow, Shark Sandwich, that was amazing.

    Second, someone give Niemerg the good news as he was just complaining about sold out Trump flags, maybe these now left over yard signs would ease his pain?


  18. - Duck Duck Goose - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 1:37 pm:

    =”Jerry Springer” haters=

    I cannot understand how one’s feelings toward Jerry Springer would have any bearing at all on this issue. Was Mr. Springer supposed to make a (very) surprise appearance? I also cannot understand why “Jerry Springer” is in quotation marks.

    Also, the flyer seems to be using the logo (or at least “a” logo) of the Illinois Republican Party, which, at first glance, appears to include a pot leaf. On further inspection, it may not, in fact, be a pot leaf but just a random weed.


  19. - JB13 - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 2:04 pm:

    DeVore gonna DeVore.

    But where’s the “doxxing” here?

    Defamation, maybe.

    But if sharing a Facebook post is now civilly liable doxxing… Some of y’all better watch yourselves


  20. - Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 2:06 pm:

    ===But if sharing a Facebook post is now civilly liable doxxing===

    Learn to read.


  21. - NIU Grad - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 2:29 pm:

    Ah yes, a failed AG candidate is always an effective crowd draw.


  22. - Muddy trail - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 3:30 pm:

    === another person shared the post with Deiters through a group message.===
    Yet Ellen Moriarty, claims Patty Deiters had published defamatory posts about her before. Not buying it.
    And the person Deiters supposedly got the Facebook post from if real, sounds like another person for Moriarty to sue. Who was that person?


  23. - H-W - Friday, Aug 30, 24 @ 4:07 pm:

    DeVore, on behalf of Deiters, appears to be arguing that Deiters did not create the content, she simply shared it. That’s like saying, “I did not create to call to lynch someone, I simply shared the call to lynch someone,” or “I didn’t demand that someone be battered and assaulted, I simply shared another person’s request that someone be battered and assaulted.”

    I fail to see how this is a legal argument. It is almost like DeVore doesn’t understand the law.


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