JUNEAU, Alaska -- An activist is suing Sarah Palin for at least $100,000, saying she undertook a campaign to "punish, embarrass, discredit and silence" him while she was Alaska's governor.
The lawsuit was filed in state court by Chip Thoma and first reported by TMZ.com.
Palin's attorney hadn't seen the lawsuit and didn't immediately comment.
It dates to 2009, after Palin returned to Juneau from her failed vice presidential bid.
Thoma's attorney, James McGowan, says Thoma complained about tour bus traffic on the narrow, windy streets around the governor's mansion. McGowan says Palin twisted Thoma's actions to make it seem like he had engaged in "some unsavory and lunatic" campaign against the Palins.
The complaint is based in part on a leaked draft manuscript of an aide of Palin's at that time.
This will definitely go to trial. I hope Thoma's lawyer asks the following questions:
Is Todd Track's father?
Did Track vandalize school buses back in 2005?
Did Willow break into and trash a house in 2009?
Does Piper ever go to school?
Is Bristol abstinent?
Did you give birth to Trig?
UPDATE-the case is being moved to federal court. From Huffington Post.
JUNEAU, Alaska — A civil lawsuit alleging Sarah Palin undertook a campaign to embarrass and discredit an activist in Alaska has been moved to federal court.
Palin attorney John Tiemessen did not give a reason for his removal of the matter from state court and declined comment, saying Wednesday that he can't discuss questions of rationale "because they necessarily involve legal strategy."
An attorney for activist Chip Thoma, James McGowan, said the move could be designed to try to avoid a jury trial in Juneau.
Thoma sued Palin for at least $100,000, claiming through McGowan that she'd twisted his complaints about bus traffic around the governor's mansion to make it seem he'd engaged in an unsavory campaign against the Palins.
Here is the Notice of Removal:
And Chip's original complaint:
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