A lawsuit filed by Jaime De La Cruz’s campaign adviser Ignacio
Velazquez against The Pinnacle newspaper was mutually dismissed,
with both parties agreeing to pay for their own attorney’s fees and
costs, according to attorneys from both sides.
Hollister – A lawsuit filed by Jaime De La Cruz’s campaign adviser Ignacio Velazquez against The Pinnacle newspaper was mutually dismissed, with both parties agreeing to pay for their own attorney’s fees and costs, according to attorneys from both sides.
The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice last week, which means Velazquez agreed never to file another suit on that specific matter, according to his attorney, Mike Pekin
“The community needs a little good faith between both sides, and that’s the spirit in which it was concluded,” Pekin said.
The suit claimed the newspaper made false, libelous statements in its coverage of a criminal grand jury’s canceled probe into the District 5 supervisor’s election. De La Cruz won that race by 10 votes, but could faces charges of voter fraud.
Tracie Cone, publisher of The Pinnacle, referred all comments to her attorney.
“Both sides recognized, without admitting fault or responsibility, that each side had complained about public statements made by the other,” said Joshua Koltun, an attorney with Piper Rudnick, the firm representing The Pinnacle.
The lawsuit stemmed from the May 27 edition, where the newspaper reported that a judge tossed out a court motion Velazquez filed to have District Attorney John Sarsfield removed from handling the probe. The publication reported that Judge Harry Tobias ruled the motion lacked merit and that it was an “unsubstantiated affidavit.”
Tobias did not rule on the motion. Instead, Pekin and an attorney representing Sarsfield agreed to sign a court stipulation to have the documents sealed.
Velazquez said the decision to work together was made for the best interest of the community.
“We need to start working with each other,” he said. “If we keep things positive the community will win.”
