A defamation lawsuit filed by two Republican lawmakers against a political action committee (PAC) tied to the Wyoming Freedom Caucus is set to be heard in a Sweetwater County district court on January 31, Wyo File reports.
The case centers on allegations that the PAC distributed false and defamatory information during the 2024 election season.
Reps. J.T. Larson and Cody Wylie, both of Rock Springs, filed the lawsuit against WY Freedom PAC in July 2024. The two legislators argue that the PAC knowingly disseminated false claims via text messages and mailers, accusing them of voting “with the RADICAL LEFT to remove President Trump from the ballot.” According to the lawmakers, no such vote ever occurred in the Wyoming Legislature.
Larson and Wylie contend that the PAC acted with “actual malice,” a legal standard required in defamation cases involving public officials, by knowingly making false statements.
“If it was critical of my voting record, that would have been fine. I wouldn’t have said a word,” Wylie previously told WyoFile. “But this is just blatantly creating lies to try to affect the election cycle.”
The lawmakers claim the false messaging harmed their personal reputations, hurt one of their private businesses, and forced them to spend significantly more on their campaigns to counter the claims. Despite the PAC’s efforts, both Larson and Wylie defeated their Freedom Caucus-backed primary opponents and secured reelection.
Their attorney, Rep. Clark Stith (R-Rock Springs), a fellow legislator who himself lost a primary race to a Freedom Caucus-backed opponent, is representing them in the case.
The WY Freedom PAC filed a motion to dismiss the case on October 25, arguing that the claims made in the mailers and text messages were not defamatory. The PAC’s legal team — consisting of attorneys Mark Jackowski of Teton County and Stephen Klein from Washington, D.C. — argued that statements made during political campaigns are often hyperbolic and should not be interpreted as literal fact.
The PAC described the lawsuit as an attempt to “punish and censor criticism of their records as legislators and to profit from their public service.” The PAC also suggested that if the court did not dismiss the case outright, it should consider granting summary judgment, which would resolve the case without the need for a full trial.
The dispute traces back to debates during Wyoming’s 2024 budget session. At issue was a budget footnote that sought to restrict the ability of the Wyoming Secretary of State to join litigation without specific legislative approval. The provision was introduced after Secretary of State Chuck Gray participated in a multi-state legal effort urging the reversal of a Colorado court’s decision to bar former President Donald Trump from the ballot.
Rep. Chris Knapp (R-Gillette), a Freedom Caucus member, proposed an amendment to strike the footnote from the budget. Larson voted against it, while Wylie abstained. The Freedom Caucus later framed this as a vote against Trump’s eligibility for the ballot, a claim Larson and Wylie argue is patently false.
The PAC’s mailers and text messages targeted not only Larson and Wylie but also several other Wyoming lawmakers, including:
- Rep. Landon Brown (R-Cheyenne)
- Rep. Lloyd Larsen (R-Lander)
- Rep. Ember Oakley (R-Riverton)
- Rep. Dan Zwonitzer (R-Cheyenne)
These lawmakers were similarly accused of siding with “the RADICAL LEFT” to remove Trump from the ballot. However, only Larson and Wylie pursued legal action.
In July 2024, an attorney for Reps. Larsen and Oakley sent a cease-and-desist letter to the PAC, but no further legal action was taken by those lawmakers.
A hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on January 31 in Rock Springs. The judge will consider oral arguments from both sides and decide whether to grant the PAC’s request for dismissal or summary judgment.
