Press Release
06/10/05 -
Vedder Price Wins Court Victory for Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth & Prosperity
[Springfield, June 10] Sangamon County Judge Patrick W. Kelley dismissed with prejudice former Illinois Appellate Court Judge Gordon Maag’s $110 million claim for defamation against the Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth & Prosperity, a political action committee, two of its officers, Ronald Gidwitz and Gregory W. Baise, and the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce. The complaint arose from a political flyer circulated during Plaintiff Gordon Maag’s campaign for Illinois Supreme Court against Lloyd Karmeier, and retention on the Illinois Appellate Court in the Fifth District.
In his ruling, Judge Kelley granted the Defendants’ motion to dismiss with prejudice because he found the statements in the flyer criticizing Judge Maag’s performance while on the bench were not defamatory per se. Judge Kelley also found that the complaint did not sufficiently plead facts alleging “actual malice,” nor did the complaint sufficiently plead facts alleging “publication” by the individual defendants, Ronald Gidwitz or Gregory W. Baise. A copy of Judge Patrick W. Kelley’s order is attached.
Defendants Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth & Prosperity and Gregory W. Baise were represented by Anthony J. Ashley, Frederick T. Knape and Cindy S. Stuyvesant of Vedder, Price, Kaufman & Kammholz, P.C.
Defendant Ronald Gidwitz is represented by Tyrone C. Fahner, John M. Tuohy and J. Gregory Deis of Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, LLP; Defendant Illinois State Chamber of Commerce is represented by Bruce Stratton and Justin A. Reichert of Stratton & Reichert; and Plaintiff Gordon Maag is represented by Rex Carr of the Law Offices of Rex Carr.
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