Champaign Co., Ill. (ECWd) –
In December of 2022, the Mahomet Township Supervisor, Aaron Wheeler, and Township Clerk, David Parsons, filed a Complaint against seven township residents because they were critical of Mahomet Township government and filed FOIA requests (see previous article here).
The entire case was dismissed last week.
On January 10, 2025, Counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 were dismissed by the circuit judge.
Counts 5, 6, 11, and 12 were dismissed in July 2024.
This is a prime example of public officials filing unwarranted lawsuits against their critics in an attempt at intimidating the public.
See article on the original case filing HERE. You won’t believe it – defendants made public comments, requested public records, asked for resignations, and complained to the AG for alleged public meetings and public records violations. For that they were sued.
3 Comments
Jack Tarleton
Posted at 15:11h, 16 JanuaryWell gee, would you look at that. One of the attorneys who filed that lawsuit was the same one who (allegedly) stole money from the bar association and is now facing professional discipline for it. Wonder if she failed to read the Constitution when she failed to read the Rules of Professional Conduct?
Dave
Posted at 14:48h, 16 JanuarySometimes you just have to sit back, drink your beer, and accept the fact that some people are idiots
Rory
Posted at 11:07h, 16 JanuaryWow. IMO, the township officials do not wish constituents to exercise their First Amendment rights, not to mention all rights granted by the FOIA and OMA statutes.
They should conduct a serious introspection, brush up on the Constitution, FOIA, and OMA, reform their views and practices – or resign.