Dear Editor,
I am disappointed to see Mr. Meriwether write such slanderous lies and misleading statements. As a Mohave County Supervisor, I place a high priority on allowing the public to speak their minds, but Mr. Meriwether, a reporter that has the public trust must be held to a higher standard.
I understand compared to private figures, people I the public eye get less protection from defamatory statements and the Supreme Court has ruled that freedom of speech limits a public official’s ability to hold someone responsible for defamation but when someone criticizes an official in a false and damaging way, the official must prove the statement was made with “actual malice.” As a public official, I believe I could easily win a defamation case.
I recognize this letter is an attempt to support your chosen candidate by writing with reckless disregard for the truth and with actual intent to harm the District 4 Supervisor who is not running for re-election and has no “dog in this political fight.”
I have made public that I will not be endorsing any candidate and pray that the public does their own vetting and makes an informed decision on who will be the next Mohave County District 4 Supervisor.
Jean Bishop
Mohave County Supervisor
