Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Hill District activist faces lawsuit - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Speak up. Then speak with the lawyers. Whistleblowers beware.
Hill District activist faces lawsuit - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Hill District activist faces lawsuit
Why not change the name of the campaign from "Raise Your Hand! No Casino on the Hill" to, "Raise Your Finger!" You fill in the rest.

Those with juice and power really don't like it when citizens do reseach and connect the dots.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

full article: By Michael Hasch
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Lawyers for Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. have threatened legal action against a Hill District activist if she doesn't stop what they call "a deliberate campaign to defame, slander and libel" the gambling organization.

Kimberly C. Ellis, who has organized the "Raise Your Hand! No Casino on the Hill" campaign, wrote a letter last week to City Councilman Bill Peduto and others that Isle of Capri believes "contains false and misleading statements," said Isle of Capri spokesman Les McMackin.

"If I misstated anything, it certainly wasn't with any malicious intent. My intent is to protect the historic Hill District and its residents," Ellis said Tuesday.

St. Louis-based Isle of Capri has said that if it obtains a slots license, it will build an arena for the Penguins and a casino in the Lower Hill.

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Ellis said she gave Peduto and others information she obtained on the Internet about a protest several years ago by residents of Kimmswick, Mo., who opposed Isle of Capri's plans to build a riverboat casino there. Isle of Capri later dropped those plans.

"Your correspondence to Councilman Peduto crosses the lawful boundary of fair and honest advocacy," said a letter to Ellis from the Harrisburg law firm Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen LLP.

Ellis said she "questions the intent of Isle of Capri for seeking to threaten and silence a private citizen ... for exercising her freedom of speech and right to protest ..."

McMackin said Isle of Capri wants to work with residents of the Hill District and welcomes "open dialogue" with them.

Michael Hasch can be reached at mhasch@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7820.