Monessen officials want Lea’s lawsuit in federal court
By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
The City of Monessen, its mayor, two councilmen and city administrator requested that a lawsuit filed against them be moved from county to federal court.
Ed Lea, former recreation board chairman and former councilman, filed suit May 17 in Westmoreland County Court against the city, Mayor Matt Shorraw, councilmen Gil Coles and Don Gregor and Administrator John Harhai alleging defamation of character and the alleged targeting of a whistleblower.
Last week, the city, Shorraw, Coles, Harhai and Gregor filed notice in Westmoreland County Court to remove the lawsuit from common pleas court because they had filed to move the case to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania July 1.
According to the filing notice, the defendants state Lea’s allegations are federal in nature, “at least in part,” as defamation and Whistleblower retaliation involve the First Amendment of the Constitution.
Further, the defendants claim any state law issues would arise from the same sets of circumstances so the federal court would still have jurisdiction over them.
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