OKLAHOMA CITY —
Oklahoma Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Gentner Drummond has filed a defamation lawsuit against Gov. Kevin Stitt, School Freedom Fund Oklahoma, and other unnamed parties, claiming they lied about him and coordinated efforts to damage his campaign.
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The lawsuit also alleges the attacks followed a fundraiser at the governor’s mansion aimed at defeating Drummond.
“He’s fighting back, and he’s not going to allow this advertisement to lie about his record and who he is as a candidate,” said Matthew Parker, Drummond’s campaign chairman.
Political experts say the case may face challenges in court.
“Most of the time we don’t see such suits successful,” said James Davenport, professor of political science at Rose State College. “The court has generally protected political speech of all kinds, and the position has basically been you remedy that by countering the speech, or, if you believe they have crossed the line into libel or slander, you can take that route, which this suit would be taking."
Abegail Cave, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, denied any affiliation between Gov. Stitt and School Freedom Fund Oklahoma, calling the claims false.
“This is a distraction attempt by Gentner Drummond to divert attention from his falling polling numbers. Gov. Stitt has no affiliation with School Freedom Fund Oklahoma, and any claim otherwise...
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