$42,500 In Fees And $2,842 In Costs Was The Total Award.
According to a recent Associated Press article, a California state court judge earlier this year ordered U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa to pay $42,500 in attorney’s fees and $2,842 in costs for obtaining dismissal through a SLAPP motion of Rep. Issa’s defamation action against Colonel Doug Applegate arising from allegations that Colonel Applegate’s television commercials hurt his reputation. The trial court found Colonel Applegate was exercising his free speech rights with the ads and Rep. Issa did not prove his defamation case at an early juncture for SLAPP motion purposes. Rep. Issa’s attorney has indicated his client will be appealing the decision.