Louisiana Voice

Livingston Parish librarian Amanda Jones may have lost a battle, but not the war.

Not just yet, despite the smug victory lap taken by Michael Lundsford, head of an outfit called Citizens for a New Louisiana, which we suspect, is linked to – and perhaps even partially funded by – Attorney General Jeff Landry.

Lundsford appears to be obsessed with what he calls erotica and he has taken his crusade to libraries all over the state, including Lafayette where he has bullied the parish council into installing its hand-picked Library Board members who in turn are attempting to fire any librarian who attempts to adhere to the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

The Tulane Law Clinic has weighed in on the Lafayette controversy, sending a letter to Library Board President Robert Judge emphasizing what it called a “chilling effect” that the board’s actions could have on “public debate and protected speech.”

The Livingston Parish Library Board told Lundsford to buzz off and he has now singled out the four board members who he claims are “standing in the way” of his efforts to impose his morality standards on the populace.

Not only did he name the four on his post, he even called out the individual parish council members who appointed each board member.

Amanda Jones, who has come under personal attacks by both Lundsford and at least one Livingston Parish resident, Ryan Thames, sued both and Lundsford’s organization. Twenty-First Judicial District Judge Erika Sledge, however, dismissed her lawsuit by declaring Jones a public figure under the definition of the landmark 1964 US Supreme Court NEW YORK TIMES V. SULLIVAN decision.

That decision made it difficult for public figures to sue for defamation unless a publication knew what it was writing was false and published it anyway with “actual malice” and “with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.”

The Facebook accusation that Jones, School Librarian of the Year, was a pedophile would seem to be the very definition of “actual malice” and “reckless disregard,” but not in the judgment of Sledge.

On Monday, Jones announced that she has “chosen to continue my fight against the men who are spreading malicious and dangerous online attacks against me.

“I have a brand-new legal team and we have FILED A MOTION that asks the judge to reconsider her ruling and additionally proposes an amended petition that restates my claims against my harassers.

“I stand for myself and I stand for all the educators and librarians who are tired of being defamed online and used as political pawns,” she said.

Jones’s fight to defend the First Amendment and to defend herself against harassment has gotten national attention on CNN, USA Today, NBC News, Huff Post in addition to local publications and online blogs such as LouisianaVoice and she has created her own WEB PAGE called, appropriately enough, Speaking Out, in which she tells of her battles with Lundsford and his organization since she exercised her First Amendment rights by speaking out on July 19 in opposition to Lundsford’s attempt to dictate policy to the Livingston Parish library system.

Citizens for a New Louisiana is an ultra-right-wing organization affiliated with the Republican Party and uses the same Virginia law firm to handle its finances as does the National Republican Congressional Committee.

The NRCC in 2008 replaced its treasurer with Keith A. Davis of the Alexandria, Virginia law firm Huckaby Davis Lisker.

Huckaby Davis Lisker has the same 228 South Washington Street address and phone number as the party responsible for the financial records Citizens for a New Louisiana listed on its federal form 990 filed with the IRS.

Keith Davis, a partner in the firm, was the TREASURER of former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm’s campaign for the GOP presidential nomination in 1996 and worked on President George W. Bush’s reelection campaign in 2004. He also was assistant treasurer of both of the elder Bush’s president bids and his firm worked for several House Republicans and performed bookkeeping for the late Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, who has used campaign funds to pay her rent, lists Huckaby Davis Lisker as her campaign’s treasurer in her latest FINANCIAL REPORT.

The firm also handled the finances of Sen. Marco Rubio whose campaign was found to be in NON-COMPLIANCE with fundraising laws.

If Jones is unsuccessful in getting a rehearing, she could then appeal to the First Circuit Court of Appeal.