Judge tosses lawyer’s defamation suit against ex-mayor for alleged crude and insulting statements

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Choose tosses lawyer’s defamation swimsuit towards ex-mayor for alleged crude and insulting statements

By Debra Cassens Weiss

June 7, 2024, 9:15 am CDT

Then-Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was appearing inside the scope of her official duties when she allegedly questioned a lawyer’s authorized talents and bragged that she has the “largest d- – – in Chicago,” in response to a Prepare dinner County, Illinois, decide.

Because of this, Lightfoot, who was the mayor of Chicago from 2019 to 2023, is totally immune in a defamation lawsuit filed by former Chicago Park District lawyer George Smyrniotis, Choose Kathy M. Flanagan dominated in a Could 28 order. Flanagan tossed the swimsuit towards Lightfoot and the town of Chicago.

Law360 and the Prepare dinner County File have protection.

Smyrniotis had alleged in a March 2022 swimsuit that Lightfoot defamed him in an obscenity-laced Zoom name when she criticized his dealing with of litigation over a Christopher Columbus statue.

Lightfoot allegedly requested Smyrniotis whether or not he even went to legislation college and whether or not he even had a legislation license. She additionally maintained that pleadings within the swimsuit needed to have metropolis approval.

“You d- – -s, what the f- – – have been you pondering?” Lightfoot allegedly requested Smyrniotis and the park district common counsel.

The Chicago Park District had sought to seal the swimsuit. In her Could 28 order, Flanagan stated she was denying “numerous motions to seal/and or impound numerous paperwork and filings.”

Lightfoot had ordered the Columbus statue faraway from Columbus Plaza in Arrigo Park in July 2020 after it was focused by protesters. The park district was obligated to keep up the statue below a contract that required modifications to be authorized by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Individuals.

After the statue was moved to a park district facility, the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Individuals sued. Appearing below the park district superintendent’s course to settle the case, Smyrniotis allowed the statue for use briefly on the final float on the annual Columbus Day parade, his swimsuit stated.

Unknown to Smyrniotis, Lightfoot allegedly instructed the committee that she would pull the parade allow if it used the statue.

Smyrniotis alleged that he was pressured to resign in February 2022, two years sooner than his deliberate retirement, and his pension was decreased because of this.