A Sweetwater County district court in Rock Springs will hold a hearing on January 31 regarding a defamation case filed by two Wyoming lawmakers against a political action committee (PAC) affiliated with the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, Casper Star-Tribune reports.
The case centers around accusations made by Reps. J.T. Larson and Cody Wylie against the WY Freedom PAC for sending misleading text messages and mailers to voters.
In July, Larson and Wylie, both Republicans, sued the PAC for allegedly falsely claiming they voted “with the RADICAL LEFT to remove President Trump from the ballot.” The claim, which has no basis in any legislative action, sparked the lawsuit. The plaintiffs argue that the PAC knowingly spread false information with “actual malice”—a key standard in defamation lawsuits involving public officials.
Rep. Wylie stated in a previous interview that while he was open to criticism of his voting record, he found the false claims “blatantly creating lies” aimed at influencing the election. Despite the controversy, Larson and Wylie prevailed in their primary elections and will return to the Wyoming Legislature for their second terms. However, their attorney, Rep. Clark Stith, contends that the PAC’s actions damaged their reputations and business interests, leading to substantial additional campaign spending.
The plaintiffs amended their complaint in October to include additional mailers sent after the initial filing, further strengthening their case. In response, the PAC’s attorneys argued for the dismissal of the lawsuit, claiming it was an attempt to censor political criticism. They assert that the mailers and messages were part of normal campaign rhetoric, which often includes exaggeration and hyperbole.
The controversy began during the 2024 budget session when lawmakers debated the authority of Wyoming’s elected officials to represent the state’s interests in legal matters. The discussion was triggered by Secretary of State Chuck Gray’s decision to join other Republican officials in filing an amicus brief aimed at overturning a court ruling that removed Trump from the Colorado ballot over his role in the January 6th Capitol riot.
The Joint Appropriations Committee added a budget footnote that would limit the secretary of state’s power to initiate litigation without specific legislative approval. While some lawmakers supported the measure, others, including members of the Freedom Caucus, sought to give the secretary of state broader authority. Larson voted against a Freedom Caucus-backed amendment that would have removed the footnote, while Wylie abstained.
The dispute over the footnote escalated, with some claiming that votes on the issue were linked to whether Trump should be on the ballot in Wyoming. The footnote was eventually removed during negotiations between the House and Senate.
Larson and Wylie were not the only targets of the PAC’s messaging. Other lawmakers, including Reps. Landon Brown, Lloyd Larsen, Ember Oakley, and Dan Zwonitzer, were also accused of voting with the “RADICAL LEFT” in the mailers sent to voters. While several lawmakers responded with cease-and-desist letters, Larson and Wylie were the only ones to pursue legal action.
The PAC has requested a summary judgment, proposing that the court resolve the case without a full trial. A decision on this request will be addressed at the oral arguments on January 31 at 1:30 p.m. in Rock Springs.
