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SHICKSHINNY — A former officer with Shickshinny’s fire department has sued the borough’s mayor, claiming the mayor defamed her in a Facebook post that accused her of being a drug user.
The lawsuit was filed in Luzerne County Court this week, with Holly Morris alleging Mayor Brenda McDaniels Long made a series of Facebook posts about her in late April of last year. The suit is filed through Morris’ attorney, James Brando, who is based out of Wapwallopen.
Morris, who the suit says worked for many years as an officer in the Shickshinny Borough Volunteer Fire Company, claims she was the subject of several posts on the mayor’s personal Facebook page.
On April 28 last year, Morris says Long made a post that she claims is about her. The post — a screenshot of which is attached to the lawsuit — references someone as a “THIEF, CRACKHEAD & ADULTERESS.”
The post is followed by a second, which reads: “Oh, I bet she’ll be going to Wildwood, NJ soon? She took out a $50,000 mortgage and it’s not on her own personal property!!”
While Morris claims the posts are about her, they do not actually make any reference to her.
Morris, who claims Long had the fire company decertified as part of a “political maneuver,” additionally alleges in her suit she did not use any of the fire company’s funds for her own benefit. This is something not specifically referenced in Long’s posts.
The lawsuit asserts that Long’s position as mayor does not protect her from a defamation claim, something which could be the case if the statements were made at a council meeting or in some official capacity.
Previous reporting from the Times Leader shows the fire company was decertified last year shortly after a report from the state Auditor General’s Office. The report showed a pattern of unauthorized spending, unsecured loans and poor record keeping, including at one point nearly $10,000 being inappropriately used to cover fire department general operations.
Auditor General Eugene DePasquale turned over the results of his audit to the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, who in turn referred it to state police.
It’s unclear if their investigation is continuing.