DEFAM, Welch’s day job [7th Rep]

Emanuel Christopher Welch isn’t just a politician who files lawsuits to abridge First Amendment rights. He also has a day job as an attorney who files lawsuits to abridge First Amendment rights.

In International Bank of Chicago vs. Rev. Marvin G. Hunter, Rev. Matthew Miller, Rev. Johnnie H. Miller, Mark Carter and G. Norwood, Welch represented “the man” against community activists.

The suit has four counts.

Count I—Trespass
a. Knowingly and without lawful authority entered the Plaintiff’s private property….
b. After receiving notice from the owner or occupant to depart, remained for a period of time….
Count II—Tortious Interference with Contractual Relations
a. The defendants intentionally led protesters to intimidate and scare customers to withdraw accounts from [the bank]….
Count III—Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage
a. Have caused protests to occur on plaintiff’s private property on at least two occasions to intimidate and scare plaintiff’s… customers
b. Have made false and defamatory statements in the media….
Count IV—Defamation-Commercial Disparagement/Derogatory Statements About Banks

I thought there might be some merit to the trespass count until I asked Grady Norwood about it. Apparently the plaintiff invited the activists to the bank.

The rest of the complaint is standard Welch bullshit. Here’s the simple test for the suit. The information Welch claims is defamatory was published in the Sun-Times. Why isn’t Welch listing the Sun-Times as defendants? Is it because they have ready access to lawyers and would crush Welch like a bug?