Republican lawmaker brings defamation lawsuit against letter writer

State Rep. Art Wittich is suing a Bozeman man for defamation after the man had his letter to the editor published in the Belgrade News.

Wittich, a Bozeman Republican, is seeking monetary and punitive damages from Rob Gregoire, also of Bozeman, according to court documents filed in Gallatin County District Court on Thursday.

The letter by Gregoire published in the Belgrade News was titled, “House District 68 deserves Grubbs.” It said that Wittich “was being investigated for corruption, a crime that carried penalties including removal from office.”

Wittich maintains he was defamed because the letter goes on to assert that he had been “convicted of that crime.”

Read more: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/lawmaker-brings-defamation-lawsuit-against-letter-writer/article_e46bb5c1-b8f0-5ac6-8ae2-9b8cd150ba3d.html