Williams & Connolly successfully represented pro bono client Wausau Pilot & Review, a small Wisconsin local paper, and two of its journalists in connection with a defamation lawsuit brought against them by a prominent local business owner, politician, and political activist arising out of the Pilot’s reporting on heated public hearings over civic resolutions regarding diversity and inclusion. Williams & Connolly agreed to represent the Pilot after The New York Times reported on how the mounting costs of the defamation suit threatened the viability of this important local newspaper. On September 17, 2024, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment in our clients’ favor, holding that the plaintiff politician was a limited purpose public figure and that plaintiff could not establish actual malice.
The team representing Wausau Pilot & Review includes Joe Terry, Steve Fuzesi, Tyler Infinger and Peter Jorgensen.