MOUNT PLEASANT, WI APRIL 3, 2023 — A lawsuit was filed today in Racine County against Mount Pleasant Village President David DeGroot, and his campaign manager, Sam Wahlen, by the attorney representing DeGroot’s opponent in the April 4th election, Kelly Gallaher.
The lawsuit alleges that both DeGroot and Wahlen made false and defamatory statements about Gallaher in a press release, on social media and in multiple campaign mailings sent to residents in the community, which stated that she owed $70,000 in back taxes as a business partner in an LLC. DeGroot called on Gallaher to step down from the election.
On March 15, 2023, a cease and desist notice was forwarded to DeGroot and Wahlen by Gallaher’s attorney, Anne Cohen of Devine Hahn Attorneys at Law in Racine, WI., and they were notified that any further false publications would not be tolerated.
DeGroot continued to publish the false and malicious statements on his campaign Facebook page and in mailings sent to the public.
“Dave DeGroot knows what he is saying is false,” said Gallaher. “He has fabricated these malicious statements in a desperate attempt to deceive voters.”
In 2017, Gallaher was gifted a single share in the Senior Campus at Campbell Woods LLC by Joe Campbell, the sole manager of the fund. She was not a partner in the business and not responsible for any liabilities of the LLC. Mr. Campbell died in 2020.
“Dave DeGroot has been negotiating for the purchase of property owned by the LLC since last June,” Gallaher continued. “He knows exactly who the business partners are. I will not be bullied by him.”
