Voted-out councilman sues winner's wife over anonymous blog

Source: Associated Press

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - A Yakima city councilman who lost his bid for re-election has sued his opponent's wife for posting an anonymous blog that contained unfounded rumors he had been arrested for drunken driving.

Rick Ensey, a property manager, defeated Councilman Ron Bonlender, a sandwich shop owner, with 52.5 percent of the vote last week in the nonpartisan race for a seat on the Yakima council.

An anonymous blogger throughout the campaign repeatedly criticized Bonlender and Democrats on the Internet site InsideYakima.com. The blogger also referred to "rumors" that Bonlender had been arrested several times for investigation of drunken driving and that the arrest reports had been covered up by the police, city manager and local newspaper.

The blogger offered no evidence and a review of state records by the Yakima Herald-Republic found nothing to back up the claims.



Read more: http://www.komotv.com/news/local/11365126.html

It sort of sounds like illegal campaigning to me. As well as grounds for a lawsuit.

bonlender is a good man. this town is the "red zone" in the northwest. its gone pretty downhill under republican rule. lot of aryan nation moving into the area as well. the ensey's and the republican establishment here are pieces of trash to the last one. lotsa small town corruption.

they're definite kool-aid drinkers. the republican establishment considers it "tit for tat" because republicans consider it payback for bonlender's previous race where his opponents DUI charge was brought up by the party. bonlender disavowed it and wanted a clean race. the GOP stranglehold in this community has really turned it to shambles. all the mom and pops seem to be going out of business as they try to "stripmall" the area. ironically, the same republicans who complain about liberals around here are the ones who've driven all the business out. jobs here are pretty much nonexistent unless you wanna work in a nursing home or drive a truck. they're also the ones who blame "washington liberals" and say they're "anti business" even though washington state ranks at the top of being one of the best states to own a business in!

morans, the whole lot of them.