One day before a pivotal local election that could determine the future of the sprawling Foxconn site, a defamation lawsuit has been filed against Village President Dave DeGroot, who is fighting to hold onto his seat.
Kelly Gallaher, long-time Foxconn and village critic, who is challenging DeGroot, filed the suit Monday in Racine County Circuit Court against DeGroot and campaign manager Sam Wahlen over comments made during a board meeting in February and on social media involving her affiliation with a defunct business.
DeGroot publicly said Gallaher is "unfit to hold public office" because of her involvement in the Senior Campus at Campbell Woods LLC. He said Gallaher will receive money from an upcoming sale of the business, which was "foreclosed on them due to numerous missed loan payments and in addition owed $70,000 in back taxes."
Gallaher has repeatedly said she is not a business partner and has never been involved in any board meetings, votes or business decisions of Senior Campus at Campbell Woods, LLC. She was gifted one share of the business.
On March 15, a cease and desist notice was forwarded to DeGroot and Wahlen by Gallaher’s Racine attorney Anne Cohen of Devine Hahn Attorneys at Law. According to the complaint, DeGroot and Wahlen have continued to make false claims about her.
"(DeGroot) has fabricated these malicious statements in a desperate attempt to deceive voters," Gallaher said in a statement. "(He) has been negotiating for the purchase of property...
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