A Northampton County judge dismissed an Easton council member’s lawsuit that alleged a local political action committee defamed her with yard signs and social media posts during her failed state House bid in 2024.
Judge Craig Dally in an order Monday dismissed Taiba Sultana’s lawsuit against PA Citizens PAC, saying that she failed to prove that the PAC, chaired by local attorney Raymond Lahoud, made defamatory statements. Sultana lost the Democratic primary to incumbent Robert Freeman in the Easton-based 136th District.
The suit alleged the PAC created yard signs calling Sultana, “Chaotic, criminal and crazy,” and made Facebook posts calling her “antisemitic” and a Holocaust denier. Sultana alleged that she lost her race and received threatening messages because of the comments.
In the order, Dally wrote that the yard signs were an expression of opinion, hyperbole and vulgar name-calling, which he said are not defamatory. Additionally, the judge said public figures have a higher burden of proof for defamation.
The suit alleged the PAC spread lies about her, and claimed the PAC was created with the “sole intent” of harming her reputation. Those lies, she said, included that she beat her child while on City Council, missed meetings and harbored antisemitic views.
The judge noted that she did not establish clear and convincing evidence that the statements were false or had a “reckless disregard for the truth.” He mentioned that news outlets reported she had missed meetings and was once charged with assaulting her son. Sultana entered an ARD program in that case, and her record was expunged.
Dally said while she did enter ARD in the case, it does not make it any less true that the events that led to the charge happened, and it does not make the PAC’s opinion actionable. The judge also said a description of being antisemitic, while offensive, is part of the “debate in the political arena,” and is not actionable.
The order states Sultana did not prove that actual malice was intended by the PAC, and that she lost her election or received threatening messages because of what the PAC said.
Reached Tuesday, Sultana said she intends to appeal the decision.
In a statement, she said the dismissal against Lahoud and his PAC was not a finding of innocence, but a technical decision that allows him to hide behind the label of “personal opinion.” By admitting the statements were “personal opinion,” he admits that they were not facts, she said.
The yard signs and social media posts turned her life into a “political spectacle,” Sultana said.
‘This was not an opinion. This was a calculated smear campaign designed to protect the powerful and silence a challenger. Lahoud knew the CYS findings. He knew about the expungement. He knew the truth and he lied anyway,” her statement reads in part. “Then, when challenged, he hid behind the legal shield of ‘opinion.’ ”
In response to Sultana claiming the PAC is hiding behind the courts, Lahoud noted that she was the one who filed the lawsuit.
“Ms. Sultana has double standards. When convenient to her, Sultana supports the great freedoms that make America a beacon of hope,” Lahoud’s statement reads in part. “When we use these rights to question Ms. Sultana, she gets angry, file a frivolous lawsuit, and lodges personal attacks.”
Sultana, who was elected to Easton City Council in 2021, represents South Side residents.