Attorney Dave Domina and Domina Law have filed a lawsuit on behalf of a Republican candidate who says her own party defamed her during a campaign for the District 1 seat last fall.
As detailed in an article from the Omaha World-Herald, the defamation lawsuit was brought on behalf of Janet Palmtag, a Nebraska City real estate agent who ran against incumbent State Senator Julie Slama of Peru in a heated legislative race between two Republications.
Palmtag, a lifelong Republican who was endorsed by former Gov. Dave Heineman, claims the Nebraska GOP sent out campaign mailers that falsely claimed she “broke the law and lost her real estate license.” In reality, the lawsuit notes, a separate entity used by her Iowa real estate business, JJ Palmtag Inc., agreed to settle an infraction matter with the Iowa Real State Commission in which JJ Palmtag Inc. paid a $500 fine and acknowledged its oversight in failing to obtain proper signatures for a fund transfer.
As Attorney Dave Domina notes in the lawsuit:
“The JJ Palmtag, Inc. infraction did not implicate the license of Ms. Palmtag. She was not disciplined. The infraction did not involve dishonesty, moral turpitude, or loss.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 in Lancaster County District Court, seeks damages for emotional distress, reputational harm, and lost income resulting from the alleged defamation.
“The party’s statements falsely accuse Ms. Palmtag of commission of a crime involving moral turpitude and unfitness to perform the duties of an office or employment, and prejudice her in her profession and trade.”