By John Ferguson
White House Watch
June 6, 2008
http://www.checkyourwatch.com/wordpress/2008/06/06/beitas-file-2m-slander-lawsuit-against-cgt/
One of the women who filed a civil lawsuit earlier this year against Christian Gospel Temple has filed an additional lawsuit against the church, claiming slander, libel, and false light invasion of privacy.
According to the lawsuit filed with the Robertson County Circuit Court Clerk on May 29, Jennifer Meier-Beita and her husband Paul have alleged that representatives for the Christian Gospel Temple, in response to the televised news stories about the original lawsuits, "launched a retaliatory campaign designed to discredit and defame the Plaintiffs and falsely portray them as child abusers."
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| Jennifer Meier-Beita |
The lawsuit reads, "On May 19, 2008, acting through its members and leaders, CGT falsely reported to the Tennessee Department of Children's Services that the Plaintiffs had committed acts of child abuse against their children.
The lawsuit then claims that Steve Brumfield, a public relations representative retained by Christian Gospel Temple, contacted reporters from the Associated Press, Channel 5, and Channel 4 on May 19 and 20, who allegedly reported that Paul Beita had been arrested for child abuse.
CGT Pastor Steve Farmer denied any knowledge of this report by his public relations representative to the major media outlets, though acknowledged he had been made aware after it had occurred.
"We did not report them [the Beitas] to DCS and I don't believe any member of our congregation did," said Farmer.
Brumfield acknowledged contacting members of the press about rumors concerning the Beitas, and has produced an email to Channel 4 reporter Ann Marshall stating that he "received a call from a neighbor." Brumfield also confirmed Farmer's statement, saying, "No one at the church was aware that I had contacted the media."
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