A Georgia family has filed a lawsuit against a grocery worker for defamation and defamation for posts on social media accusing them of planning and participating in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The lawsuit, filed by Kathryn, Thelma and William Cagle, alleges that Rayven Goolsby He “discredited and defamed” the family through online harassment. Family members accuse him of damaging his reputation and associating him with criminal conduct, the Washington Post reports.
According to the post, Kathryn Cagle visited Facebook on January 6 to ask for prayers for her and her mother, Thelma Cagle, writing, “Yes, Mom and I are in Washington, DC.”
“I thought Kate Cagle [was] on the planning committee, I hope he doesn’t plan to pursue a career with planning riots, ”a grocery store worker later wrote on Facebook.
In another post addressed to Thelma Cagle, Goolsby wrote: “Did you not attend the insurrection? I’m pretty sure you did. “
The Cagle family is important in the local politics of Pickens County, the Post reports. Kathryn Cagle is a former president of the Republican Party of Georgia in Pickens County, the Post reports, while Thelma Cagle has sung the national anthem at several pro-Trump rallies. William Cagle, Kathryn’s father and Thelma’s husband, recently served a term on the Pickens County Planning Commission.
According to reports, Goolsby’s posts on social media focused on the alleged “central role” of Kathryna and Thelma Cagles in organizing attendees on the Women for America First tour. According to reports, the group of conservative women was heavily involved in organizing the “Stop the Steal” rally that took place before the Capitol Uprising.
Goolsby’s attorney Andrew Fleischman said the Cagles use the court system to intimidate their client.
“We must not be afraid that criticizing an important person in our community can cost us thousands of dollars,” Fleischman told the Post. He argued that the Cagles are people of public interest and that Goolsby’s online posts fell into protected speech categories such as opinion, hyperbole, and sarcasm.
David McDonald, a lawyer for the Calges, told the newspaper that his clients did not want to turn their complaint into a political issue.
“Our customers are harmed and this is the reason for the process. The desire of our company and the Cagle is that, hopefully, we can resolve it in a friendly and mutually beneficial way, ”McDonald told The Post.