05.17.07
Sal Gets Sued (Again)
Sal Costello, proprietor of The Muckraker, has been sued by one of the most powerful lobbying firms in the state. You can read all about it at this post, Toll Road Lobby Threatens Texas Blogger With Lawsuit. Here’s why he’s being sued (below the fold):
The censorship letter refers to the blog article called “Transportation Chair’s Mistress Lands Multi Million Dollar Toll Road Contrcts” (see below). It’s about Melinda Wheatley, the most wanted lobbyist in the state of Texas and her unique influence with married State Rep. Mike Krusee.
Interestingly, the HillCo Partners letter targets only one paragraph of the blog article:
“A reliable inside source confirms today that Krusee and Wheatley are still “an item” and that Wheatley is now lobbying at one of Austin’s most influential lobby firms, HillCo Partners, under the guise of a “public relations specialist” (so she can try and sidestep filing more legally required lobbyist reports).”
The HillCo letter, from Attorney J. Hapton Skelton of the Law offices of Skelton and Moody, says:
“This statement is false in every respect.”
After we exchanged emails, I now wonder if HillCo is suggesting that my reliable source didn’t give me such information. Or, perhaps HillCo thinks my contact of two years is just an imaginary friend?
Since I received the original threat letter, I spoke with my contact again to confirm. My inside source tells me that she was told first hand that Wheatley did “work for HillCo”. Perhaps that could mean HillCo Partners, or a sister company called HillCo Media. I don’t know.
Sal does some very good work and needs to be commended for keeping the heat on. When anyone plays in the mud and muck their bound to get a little on themselves every so often. I’m not sure HillCo wanted more publicity on this issue.