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Town of Fort Myers Beach Council members John King and Karen Woodson have filed a defamation suit against former Mayor Ray Murphy and former Councilman Bill Veach over the recall allegations against them. File photos
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Town of Fort Myers Beach Councilmember Bill Veach (right) and Councilwoman Karen Woodson (left)
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Town of Fort Myers Beach Council members John King and Karen Woodson have filed a defamation lawsuit against former Town Mayor Ray Murphy and former Town Councilman Bill Veach over the allegations the latter made in the recall petitions.
King and Woodson are facing a recall on Nov. 4 over the allegations, which they claim are false and defamatory.
The lawsuit was filed in Lee County Circuit Court by the Sarasota-based law firm of Bentley Goodrich Kison, P.A. The same firm is representing King and Woodson in their lawsuit seeking to stop the recall. While that lawsuit is being funded by the Town of Fort Myers Beach (at a cost of more than $21,000 billed to the town so far according to town records as of last week), King said the defamation suit will be paid for by himself and Woodson.
“The Defamation suit will not be funded by taxpayers. Karen and I will absorb the costs,” King said.
Asked to comment on the lawsuit, King said “Bill Veach made a conscious decision to lie about me. I will not be defamed and have filed this suit to clear my name.”
In the suit, King alleges defamation against Veach for heading the recall committee against him. Woodson alleges defamation against Murphy for heading the recall committee against her.
Woodson could not be reached for comment.
The recall allegations include claims that King and Woodson worked together in violation of the Sunshine Law and the town charter to recruit another law firm to replace the town’s former attorney John Herin Jr. of Fox Rothschild LLP in 2023. A law firm in the county had been approached by both King and Woodson and sent a letter to the town offering their services, which they eventually rescinded over controversy surrounding the move and objections from Veach at the time that the actions of King and Woodson violated the town charter. Town policy requires a request for proposals be sent out for new legal representation.
King and Woodson have denied that they coordinated or communicated with each other on seeking out the law firm.
King and Woodson also deny the other allegations in the recall petitions, that they accepted unreported gifts from entities seeking land use approvals from the town. King denies an allegation against him that he worked to remove town contract employees, while Woodson denies a separate allegation over violating the Sunshine Law for speaking with Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt regarding the Fort Myers Beach Pier.
In the latest defamation lawsuit, the allegations are described as “categorically false.”
Veach is accused of making the allegations with the intent of “tarnishing Mr. King’s reputation and having him removed from office based on false allegations and lies,” the lawsuit states. “Mr. Veach has a personal vendetta against Mr. King and thus spread these brazen and insolent lies with the sole purpose of harming Mr. King’s good name, reputation, and position as Councilor,” the suit states.
Veach said he had not yet been served with the lawsuit when reached.
“Mr. King denies Mr. Veach’s bogus claims, as these events never occurred, and the allegations are wholly false,” the lawsuit states. “Mr. Veach maliciously published these statements in the King Petition with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard as to their truth or falsity.”
The lawsuit claims Veach has not presented evidence to support the allegations in the recall petitions.
“Mr. Veach’s false statements bring Mr. King into ill repute, destroy the confidence in Mr. King’s integrity, and are defamatory, injurious, and detrimental to Mr. King’s reputation in the community. Mr. King has been damaged by Mr. Veach’s publication,” the lawsuit alleges.
Woodson’s defamation suit against Murphy re-iterates similar claims.
“Several of the allegations within the Woodson Petition are categorically false, were made with intent and knowledge of their falsity, and/or were in utter disregard for the truth thereof,” the lawsuit states.
“Mr. Murphy published the phony Woodson Petition to members of the community with the intent of tarnishing Ms. Woodson’s good reputation and having her removed from office based on false allegations and insolent lies,” the lawsuit claims. “Mr. Murphy has a personal vendetta against Ms. Woodson and thus spread these lies with the sole purpose of harming Ms. Woodson’s reputation and threatening her position as Councilor.”
Murphy said he hadn’t yet seen the lawsuit when contacted.
“Ms. Woodson denies Mr. Murphy’s sham claims, as these events never occurred, and the allegations are wholly false. Mr. Murphy maliciously published these statements in the Woodson Petition with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard as to their truth or falsity.”
The lawsuit also alleges that Murphy has presented no evidence to support his claims against Woodson.
“Mr. Murphy’s false statements bring Ms. Woodson into ill repute, destroy the confidence in Ms. Woodson’s integrity, and are defamatory, injurious, and is detrimental to Ms. Woodson’s reputation in the community. Ms. Woodson has been damaged by Mr. Murphy’s publication, which was proximately caused by Mr. Murphy. Mr. Murphy’s false statements further injured Ms. Woodson in her trade or profession as Councilor for the Town of Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Mr. Murphy’s false statements impute to Ms. Woodson conduct, characteristics, or a condition incompatible with the proper exercise of her lawful business, trade, profession, or office,” the suit states.
A recall election is scheduled to be held Nov. 4, with ballots already having been sent out and voters having turned in mail-in ballots. The separate lawsuit filed by King and Woodson seeking to stop the recall is being reviewed by a judge in Lee County Circuit Court.