A South Carolina state senate candidate is suing his Republican opponents after they called him a "domestic abuser."
According to court records obtained by The Post and Courier, John Gallman, who lost an election four years ago for a Horry County seat is suing state Reps. Lee Hewitt and Chris Murphy. Both lawmakers are also Republicans.
Gallman alleges that the man defamed him and inflicted "emotional distress" in April of this year.
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On April 16, the state House adopted a resolution in Gallman's honor, recognizing Gallman for "significant contributions to developing legislation that allows children equal access to both parents after separation and divorce."
Gallman temporarily lost custody of his children during his divorce, and he began lobbying the state legislature for more equitable parting policies
On April 17, however, state records showed about 60 House legislators asked to have their names removed as sponsors of the resolution. Among those asking that their names be removed were Hewitt and Murphy. According to the complaint, the two lawmakers told other House members that Gallman abused his ex-wife.
"The allegations about (Gallman) were defamatory and published with actual malice, as (Hewitt and Murphy) knew they were false," the complaint says. "As a result of (Hewitt and Murphy's) slander, (Gallman) was harmed and damages have been incurred, including but not limited to, actual and future damage to reputation."
"Murphy stated that 'House Leadership' instructed him to spread the information that John Gallman was a domestic abuser," the filing continues. "Defendants acted with actual malice and with the intent to destroy the reputation of John Gallman for illegitimate purposes."
The lawmakers denied the claim in a public statement from their attorneys.
"Representatives Murphy and Hewitt look forward to their day in court and have faith that the legal process will fully vindicate them and demonstrate that this litigious plaintiff's claims are completely meritless," the statement claimed.
The 2020 campaign broadcast the messy Gallman divorce all over the media, including stories that he dragged his former wife by her hair and broke her finger.
The lawsuit says that Murphy and Hewitt also claimed Gallman was mentally unstable.
Gallman was never charged and denies the allegations. He said that the defamation had made him lose business.
In a different case after the election, Gallman alleged that a news outlet failed to give "a fair and reasonably true summary of the contents of his Family Court file, or that these defendants published false and defamatory information about him with actual malice," according to the court records.
The report said the judge granted summary judgment in favor of the news outlet.
Before the case against the news outlet, Gallman attempted another defamation case, this time against the school nurse at his children's private Catholic school, and her husband.
In 2018, Gallman alleged that the nurse gave an interview to a court-appointed guardian during the divorce. According to court documents, Gallman said the nurse's husband worked for one of his competitors, which was the reason for the attacks on him. That case was stayed in November of 2019.
