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Friday, Sep 28, 2012 12:30 AM UTC

Judge strikes down lawsuit claims against Palin

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Topics: From the Wires,

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday struck down claims in a lawsuit alleging that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin acted to silence an activist who complained about traffic around the governor’s mansion in 2009.

U.S District Judge Timothy Burgess granted Palin’s request for summary judgment. Her attorney, John Tiemessen, said the ruling means that, as a matter of law, no valid claims stand, and it should lead to dismissal of the case.

The lawsuit was brought by activist Chip Thoma, who alleged that Palin, while governor, undertook an effort to punish, embarrass, discredit and silence him after he complained about tour bus traffic around the mansion following her failed 2008 vice presidential bid. He was suing for at least $100,000.

Burgess said Thoma failed to provide the evidence necessary to support his claims.

Traffic increased around the mansion after Palin returned to Juneau, Alaska’s capital, from her failed 2008 GOP vice presidential bid.

Thoma, in his lawsuit, said he complained about the traffic to a state agency and made signs and fliers about the traffic situation that he posted and handed out. He alleged that Palin and unidentified conspirators retaliated — in some cases “twisting” his words, in others, “concocting complete fabrications” — to silence him and others Palin perceived as speaking out against her.

Thoma’s initial lawsuit was partly based on a leaked draft manuscript by Frank Bailey, an aide of Palin’s at that time. The book, once published, claimed Palin aides “went into discrediting Chip overdrive,” after Palin expressed frustration with complaints that she took as an attack on her family being in Juneau.

More Becky Bohrer.

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