Lehighton school board president files lawsuit

Lehighton Area School Board President Gloria Bowman has filed a second civil suit in Carbon County court against an old foe over his alleged continued personal attacks on her.

Bowman filed the complaint against David F. Bradley Sr., seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

In 2015, Bowman filed suit against Bradley and the Carbon County Independent Gazette over articles published by the newspaper which she said were false and damaged her reputation. The new suit states that in 2016 the initial lawsuit was settled and a sum of money was paid to her “in return for the plaintiff’s release of The Carbon County Independent Gazette.”

The new suit states in addition to the payment to the plaintiff the defendant newspaper published a statement that she considered an apology.

In her new actions, Bowman claims that “after the closure of The Carbon County Independent Gazette, the defendant has perpetuated similar activities against the plaintiff in a personal capacity which he previously pursued through The Carbon County Independent Gazette.”

The suit alleges that almost immediately after she began a tenure on the school board, in 2013, Bradley, acting through the Gazette, began publishing critical information about the her.

The suit makes several allegations against the defendant stating the prior settlement has not deterred Bradley from continuing his “defamatory conduct toward the plaintiff.”

Both Bowman and Bradley are candidates for the school board in the November election. Bowman is seeking another term and is on the Democratic ticket, gaining that nomination in the spring. Bradley is seeking his first term and is on the Republican ticket, which he also gained in the spring.

Allegations

In 2015, the Gazette published stories about the arrest of a teacher on morals charges and Bowman says he attacked her in her capacity as a school board member.

The new suit alleges on Aug. 27 Bradley sent out communications to the public about her, once again bringing up the arrest of the teacher.

The suit charges, “the hostile content of the defendant’s public communications is highly confrontational and personally offensive beyond mere criticism of plaintiff as a public official.”

Continuing, the suit alleges, “Included in the exaggerated and misleading information published by defendant are the same types of pejorative references included in the previous lawsuit. This dogged campaign against the plaintiff has continued to harm her reputation among the community she has lived in and served for decades.”

The suit also charges that Bradley, although not having the newspaper available to him, has “continued his previous assaults through more personal modes of communication.”

The three-count suit seeks damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress; libel and slander; and invasion of privacy/false light.

Compensatory damages in excess of $50,000 and punitive damages are sought. A jury trial is demanded.

Attorney Donald P. Russo of Easton filed the complaint.